Anyone ever see a valve spring make a hole in a Hemi valve cover? Am working on a 70 Hemicuda, very stock car and found a big oil leak on the driver side front of valve cover. Thought it was just the gasket so replaced the valve cover gasket and found it was still leaking. See the pictures for what I found next, slight hole in the valve cover. Anyone have any ideas what would cause this?

Some notes on things I have tested/tried already:

Did compression test on #1 (cylinder where valve spring which punched through) and #3 and they are both about 215 so don't think it is a bad valve.

Was running it when I found the leak and car sounded fine. Doesn't make it isn't something in the engine but nothing sounded "off".

Hydraulic cam in the car.

Pretty sure it had a hole when it arrived as I remember noticing the steering box had a lot of oil pooled on the top.

It's a well broken in engine, not new. Had a cam put in it about 10 years ago and the owner drives it regularly.




Really don't want to tear this thing apart but also don't want to put on the new valve cover we just got painted here and have it do it again.

Only seen it once.

The bolt holes on one head had been shifted. Or, a better way to say it the head had core shift.

I had to slot the holes in the valve cover.

That's was way back in 1998 when that happened.

It is not uncommon to find interference there between the exhaust retainer and the valve cover. It might be a reproduction cover, or a slightly taller valve. This is why many aftermarket covers are made a little taller and wider in this area. A lot of Hemi builders are using beehive springs now that allow a little more room here as well as other benefits.

I've worked on a few HEMI's over the years where springs or rockers have dented, worn grooves in covers, or cracked the chrome finish, stock or aftermarket covers

Are those the right retainers for the springs? Look small to me and maybe the spring is moving around under them.

We have put 4 bulges in more than a few Hemi valve covers for clearance.
Doug

Yep, more than once. On mine, the valve covers must have been handled a little bit rough when they were off the engine. They were too narrow between the intake valves and exhaust valves.

So I spread them back out and slotted the lower bolt holes a little bit to get all the width possible. A little JB Weld on the rubbed areas and all has been good since.

How did you miss that when the gasket was replaced.

Did you look at the picture? You can barely see it from the outside and just must not have seen the inside when I took the valve cover off.

That's common. I always check for any marks when pulling the valve covers off a Hemi the first time.

Sheldon

I saw this on the engine that was in my Hemi Belvedere that I bought in 1985. It was drag car that the previous owner was running on the street. After I got it, I noticed oil running down the outside of the valve cover in several places. It appeared that the valve keepers pulled down through the spring retainers and the retainers contacted the exhaust side rocker arm and it wore holes on the outside of the valve cover. I replaced the retainers with stock ones and that eliminated the interference with the valve cover.

I don't know what the retainers were made of but my theory is that the retainers were made of some "trick" light weight material and that was harder than the keepers.

Seen some VC with that type of damage

The "trick" retainers early on, back in the early days,where aluminum, NOT GOOD Many engines where severely broken due to drop valves when the keepers pull through the aluminum retainers

That valve retainer does not look right in that spring to me. Does not appear to be centered.

I agree, the retainer looks wrong.

Good point, I too looked at that a little funny but really didn't notice until you two pointed at it. Almost looks upside down???

I think that retainer is about to fail. The locks look like they are pulling through.

Sorry can you point out what you are seeing? I'm not seeing that.

I see that someone before you replaced all the stock head bolts I can see with regular grade 8 bolts, probably not the best choice for head bolts Stock street and race Hemi came with harden head bolt washers also, which your missing
As far as your current springs, keepers and retainers I don't see a spring cup or spring locator under your current valve springs, which unless it has a inner spring that locates off of the valve guide, it will allow those springs to move around some when running making it look like the valve retainers are not keeping the springs centered on the valve stems
If your worried about the retainers try using a magnet to find out if they are steel or not They may be tool steel or Titanium, both shine like yours are
If they are aluminum, replace them right away
IHTH

Car was exactly like this when it came in, we did not do any engine work to it.