FA20 Rocker Retainer Kit

[Denstoj]

Yep! Soon.

Added some new photos on our website:

https://denstoj.com.au/products/fa20...r-retainer-kit

Thanks for your patience.

[jrhudson]

I was watching a teardown video of the new supra engine (B58), they have these from stock. Interesting stuff. BMW thought of it. If only Subaru or Toyota thought of it. Good thing @Denstoj did.

At 7:58 is where theyre shown on the video.

[Denstoj]

Originally Posted by jrhudson

I was watching a teardown video of the new supra engine (B58), they have these from stock. Interesting stuff. BMW thought of it. If only Subaru or Toyota thought of it. Good thing @Denstoj did.

At 7:58 is where theyre shown on the video.

Great find! Thank you for pointing this out. Exactly what we've made to stop rockers dropping in the FA & FB engines. Can't believe Toyota and Subaru are still selling cars with floating rockers.

Glad we can help you all have peace of mind with your engines.

[soundman98]

i suspect that's very much the difference between a $30k car and a $60k car

[jrhudson]

Originally Posted by soundman98

i suspect that's very much the difference between a $30k car and a $60k car

Yes, also its cause of the necessary performance sound tube we have.

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by soundman98

i suspect that's very much the difference between a $30k car and a $60k car

Cheaper cars have them too !!!

Here is a thread were someone made their own retainers and he lists part numbers and engines that had them.

https://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=145329


I will be buying the kit from Denstoj though. That will hopefully squash one beef I have with the FA engine.

[RallyKeith]

Originally Posted by Denstoj

Yep! Soon.

Added some new photos on our website:

https://denstoj.com.au/products/fa20...r-retainer-kit

Thanks for your patience.

Is the reason for the bespoke pivots because the factory ones are hardened and difficult to machine?

[Denstoj]

Originally Posted by RallyKeith

Is the reason for the bespoke pivots because the factory ones are hardened and difficult to machine?

Exactly, you nailed it. This is why it has taken longer than expected to develop the bespoke pivots. We want to be 100% certain the hardness and groove are to the right specification.

Machining the original pivots can be done (as we have been), but both the hardness and ensuring the groove dimensions are correct consistently make it more difficult. We had a custom jig manufactured to do this at our specialised machine shop.

We've always wanted to make a completely custom solution at is the best option. Now due to demand, we're able to make the investment.

Thank you again for your patience.

[Ultramaroon]

So oil squirts into the socket of the rocker pivot at rest. This takes up the lash until the lobe comes around to begin lifting. Then the oil film is squeezed down through the center of the pivot and circulates back around the clearance between the pivot pin and its bore.

This seems to be an interesting shock absorption system. I've heard that the FA20 likes to be adjusted to the looser side. I wonder if rocker ejection is a symptom of a tad too much lash.

[rixter145]

Hi all,

Giving a write up on the recent rocker retainer clip breaking. Two months ago, I found out that my exhaust cams were not moving while the car was warmed up. After some head scratching, we pulled the sensor out and low and behold, we found this sheared out retainer kit.

Alarmed, I immediately reached out to Denstoj auto and they were extremely quick to send me a kit of their bespoke drop-in replacements.

We then started taking out the engine and started checking all the rockers to see if there were more cracked/sheared retainers. Well, I will let the other pictures speak for itself:




As the mechanic who is working on installing the new bespoke pivot & retainers, he noted in the following documentation, which ones were cracked.

Note that cyl #2 front and cyl#4 rear cams were actually out of tolerance spec, but only one of them cracked. Upon installing the new pivots, my mechanic ensured everything was properly shimmed and my engine was good to go again.

Meanwhile, Denstoj has requested me to send back the cracked retainers for investigation and here is what they hypothesize:

I suspect during installation the rocker retainer clip has been stretched as it’s been pulled on and off multiple times.

The clip need to be very tight on the rocker. If left loose the lower part of the clip is in contact with the pivot shoulder and can be damaged throughout the range of operation.

During normal operation if installed correctly the clip will not have any load or wear. It is only in the event of a rocker dislodgement that the clip “catches” the rocker.

Check out my video on the installation of the clip to the rocker arm -

FA20 Engine Installation of Rocker Retainer Kit - Clip Fitment:

I have inspected all of the clips and only some have damage on the lower side and have been over stressed.


I want to point out that the shop that installed my retainers the first time was not my current mechanic and it is possible that the installation was not done correctly.

I also want to thank Denstoj for being super apologetic and accommodating in resolving this issue with high urgency. Such customer service is hard to come by nowadays and it is a breath of relief that they care about producing a product that works.

[blsfrs]

I am curious to know how the clip got to the cam sensor and didn't stay in the valve cover or end up in the oil pan. I would think that oil pumped to the head would drain to the pan and the clip would go with the flow. How much oil makes its way to the timing cover?

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by blsfrs

How much oil makes its way to the timing cover?

A lot of it. There is only a small head drain on the bottom of the heads. The rest drains out past the cam gears and into the timing cover.

[rixter145]

Originally Posted by blsfrs

I am curious to know how the clip got to the cam sensor and didn't stay in the valve cover or end up in the oil pan. I would think that oil pumped to the head would drain to the pan and the clip would go with the flow. How much oil makes its way to the timing cover?

The cam sensor is magnetic so it just so happen to get caught there... Otherwise it would either be in the oil pan or somewhere in the oil filter

[Denstoj]

Neat write up @rixter145. Glad we’ve solved the problem and I am humbled by your kind words.