The Enginetech EPF555-HD is a bulk 200 pack of heat-treated valve keepers (also known as valve locks or valve spring retainer keepers) with a 1 square groove profile sized for 11/32" valve stems. Fits 1950-2014 AM General/American Motors/Buick/Cadillac 2.3L/2.5L/2.8L+ applications (iron-head variants).
Important Notes
- Bulk 200 Pack for machine shops and rebuilders: covers approximately 6 complete 2-valve V8 engine rebuilds or 12 2-valve L4 rebuilds at two keepers per valve. Order additional packs for 4-valve-per-cylinder applications or higher volume.
- Two keepers per valve: keepers are split wedges that meet around the valve stem groove to form a complete collet, which locks the valve spring retainer to the stem. Always order in even quantities.
- Groove profile: matches a 1-square grooved valve stem. Keepers must match the count and shape of grooves on the valve stem exactly - a mismatch will prevent proper spring retention.
- Valve stem diameter: 11/32". Verify the OE valve stem diameter against the keeper spec before installation.
- Application restriction: this keeper is specified for iron-head engine variants. Verify the cylinder head material against the application before ordering - engines within the same family sometimes use different keepers between iron and aluminum head configurations.
- Heat-treated for elevated hardness and resistance to groove deformation under sustained valve spring load. Suitable for performance, commercial, and heavy-duty applications where standard-hardness keepers would be marginal.
- First design variant: fits the early production run of the listed applications. Verify the production date or VIN against the OE catalog before ordering if your engine is a later build.
- Fitment exclusion: Except Fiero. Verify the application against the OE part before ordering.
- Cross-references multiple OE and aftermarket part numbers - see the OEM Cross-References section below.
- Always verify the OE valve stem diameter, groove count, groove shape (round vs square), and cylinder head material against the original keepers being replaced before installation. Keeper profiles are application-specific and cannot be interchanged freely between engines.
Specifications
| Part Number | EPF555-HD |
| Product Type | Valve Keeper (Valve Lock / Spring Retainer Keeper) |
| Pack Size | 200 keepers per pack |
| Per Valve | 2 keepers required (1 pair per valve) |
| Groove Count | 1 |
| Groove Shape | Square |
| Valve Stem Diameter | 11/32" |
| Cylinder Head Material | Iron |
| Heat Treated | Yes (performance/HD grade) |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs |
| UPC | 707473076166 |
| Country of Origin | CN |
| OEM Cross-References | Beck/Arnley: 0233009, Elgin: EHC-555, Elgin: EHC555, Melling: 47610, Melling: VL-200, Melling: VL200, Clevite: VK117, FEL-PRO: FP8927953 |
Vehicle Fitment
- 1950-1951, 1953-1958 Chevrolet Sedan Delivery 3.8L 235ci I6 OHV
- 1950-1958, 1960 Chevrolet Truck 3.8L 235ci I6 OHV
- 1953-1955 Chevrolet Corvette 3.8L 235ci I6 OHV
- 1953-1957 Chevrolet One-Fifty Series 3.8L 235ci I6 OHV
- 1953-1957 Chevrolet Two-Ten Series 3.8L 235ci I6 OHV
- 1953-1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 3.8L 235ci I6 OHV
- 1954 Chevrolet 1500 3.8L 235ci I6 OHV
- 1954-1956 Oldsmobile 88 5.3L 324ci V8 OHV
- 1954-1956 Oldsmobile 98 5.3L 324ci V8 OHV
- 1954-1956 Oldsmobile Deluxe 88 5.3L 324ci V8 OHV
- 1954-1956 Oldsmobile Starfire 5.3L 324ci V8 OHV
- 1954-1956 Oldsmobile Super 88 5.3L 324ci V8 OHV
- 1955 Mercury Custom 4.8L 292ci V8 OHV [VIN:P]
- 1955 Mercury Montclair 4.8L 292ci V8 OHV [VIN:P]
- 1955 Mercury Monterey 4.8L 292ci V8 OHV [VIN:P]
- 1955-1956 Chevrolet Corvette 4.3L 265ci V8 OHV
- 1955-1956 Ford Customline 4.8L 292ci V8 OHV [VIN:P]
- 1955-1956 Ford Mainline 4.8L 292ci V8 OHV [VIN:P]
- 1955-1957 Chevrolet Bel Air 4.3L 265ci V8 OHV
- 1955-1957 Chevrolet One-Fifty Series 4.3L 265ci V8 OHV
- ...and 3297 additional applications
Enginetech Valve Keepers (also called valve locks or valve spring retainer keepers) are precision-machined split wedges that lock the spring retainer onto the valve stem groove, holding the valve spring under preload and transmitting the spring force to the valve. Each valve uses two keepers that meet around the stem groove, so a single engine requires two keepers per valve (for example, a typical V8 with 16 valves requires 32 keepers). These keepers are supplied in bulk pack quantities for machine shops and rebuilders. Always verify the valve stem diameter, groove count, groove profile (round vs square), and cylinder head material against the OE specification before installation; keeper profiles are specific to each valve family and cannot be interchanged freely even between engines of similar displacement.
