My friend is rebuilding his 360 magnum in his 2001 ram. He bought new heads and a mild cam from Hughs. It is supposed to use the Hughs retainer HUG 1278. Hughs is out of them and doesnt know when they will have any. Does anyone know of a replacement he could use?

http://www.hughesengines.com/Upload/Misc_Parts/HUG1278dims.jpg

Isky cams has a great selection of valvetrain parts with many retainer options. Very helpful people, but you will need all your demensions and specs. Many steel or lightweight steel options as well. Bill

Why not ask Hughes ... they should understand if they're out of them !!

Hughes has been no help. Took the order without anything in stock and then
Shipped the rest of the parts without the retainers. Now they say looks like October.

Finding a retainer shouldn't be hard. You know all the specs on the springs and the valve stem diameter, just go through a Comp Cams catalog and find the ones you need. Piece of cake.

I would look for a tool steel set myself

The problem is a stock magnum head will have 8mm dia.valve stems so the keepers will have to match the retainers. I went through this a while back and wished I had not used a magnum head. Huges was the only place at that time that had a complete HP spring kit that dropped right in with no machining of the heads.Even Mopar did not have a "drop"in HP valve spring for the Magnum head.

What's the big deal, 8mm is 5/16" !!!

The spring's specific outside diameter is machined into the cylinder head to create the valve's spring seat. This is usually prevalent in two closely related engines: the 1967-92/93 A-engine (small block) and the 1992/93-2003 Magnum (small block). The A-engine springs have a 1.50″ OD while the Magnum uses 1.42″ OD.

In my brief search I could only find retainers with 10 degree locks for that size spring and stem.

well, sorta.

5/16" = .3125
8mm = .315

now with that said, i have no idea how .0025 larger diameter retainers would fit the 5/16" valve stem tolerance wise. or the other way around. plus, how the retainers would fit the spring retainers being used.
it "could" work, or "not" work, caused by however the retainer grooves were cut in the stem, and how the holes were machined in the spring retainers.
without knowing the +/- tolerance on the valve stem grooves and the same on each type of retainer, i would not recommend interchanging the two types.
that is just my 45+yr machinist career talking, and NOT any experience interchanging 5/16" and 8mm valves and retainers.
also, i'm not bashing any engine builders, as they have WAY more experience than i do !

If the valves have the OE style keeper groove, in the factory location, you’re going to find there are very few retainer and lock options that will work.

I know its a technicality BUT ... we're talking valve "locks" - not "retainers".

And since you point out the difference I'm guessing the 5/16 locks won't fit an 8mm stem

Try these guys. I don't think their chit comes from offshore.

Dannysbee, you have a PM

i got the terminology wrong, but i was describing the "locks" [the two little pieces that surround the valve stem]. could these be also called "keepers" in some parts ?
"retainers" would be the round item on the top of the valve spring that the "locks" fit into, thereby "keeping" the valve and spring assembly together in the head, correct ?
sorry if i screwed up the nomenclature. it was not my intent, and i'm glad i was corrected. thanks !