Two supports that valve springs are mounted between are called.

• A. Valve spring retainer
• B. Valve Bridge
• C. Valve Seat Insert
• D. Valve spring keepers

Answer: (A)

Valve springs are held in place by a component that provides the upper support, with the lower support typically being the valve seat or a spring seat in the cylinder head. The piece that directly bears the top of the spring and keeps it aligned under load is the valve spring retainer. It is secured by keepers to the valve stem, so the retainer is the part that actually supports the spring from above and keeps the assembly together. The other options don’t serve this upward-support role: the valve bridge isn’t the spring’s support, the valve seat insert is part of the sealing surface for the valve, and keepers are the locking pins that attach the retainer to the stem rather than the spring’s support.