Thread: Important: ZZP Retainer Issues

Hi guys, A Riviera guy recently had issues with stock rockers rubbing on the outter edge of some retainers.

The parts he has on the car are cam, 105# springs, retainers etc and he's been hearing noise. Further inspection found the rockers rubbing on the retainers.

Left is a new Intenese retainer, right is the now used ZZP retainer.


He mentions having to file the retainers to get the valve locks out to swap them. In contacting ZZP, they stated to him that there is nothing wrong and that these are the same retainers they have been selling. Odd issue though, another Riviera guy purchased the ZZP retainers, started to notice an issue and didn't use them.

Here's the full thread.
ticking noise, scuffed valve spring retainers

Just wanted to toss an FYI out in case anyone picks up ZZP retainers and things don't appear to fit properly.

Joe: They aren't answering his calls and only replied to his emails that there is not a problem with the retainer.

thanks for the heads up. you can clearly see where they went wrong.

are these the modified retainers??? makes me wanna go check mine out now.

They are the modded retainers, yes.

One suggestion/idea on another forum was that the HD valve locks might have let the retainer sit higher than the valve tip. Guess this was a problem in the past with CC Ti retainers and CC HD valve locks.

Rubbing the way it did on the retainer though, wouldn't that be a rocker issue?
I'm not a fan of modded retainers, but I'm kinda curious how this happened.

If the locks allow the retainer to sit higher, then the rocker can touch. That's what appears to have possibly happened.

But...if the guy buys the locks and retainers from a place..you think they'd have put that combo together many times before.

Found that if you want to remove springs that have ZZP retainers/HD locks you need to hit the retainer to free the locks from the retainer before you attempt to compress the spring and remove it.

Found some pics I had taken a while back.








And a car that I'm currently working on.. I said to him "ZZP retainers and HD locks right?" and he confrimed.

Not at all. The LS springs we use when we upgrade expect an install height of 1.800" and with most retainers and locks, we can only pull out 1.78X" install height.

Or you could use Intense retainers and locks.

The last pic on teh engine, those are ZZP retainers. Verified by the owner of the car, Bill Stewart.

Has ZZP changed something?

I dunno, you had a serious picture fail.

Might be flash in the pic that makes them look silver. IIRC they are black.