Here is a fun one... I found in several books including the actual ford books pictures of the 2000cc engine rocker spring keepers in 2 different positions. Wings toward the head, and Wings away from head,

Wings toward the head...


Wings away from head...


I have always installed these toward the head. Now I am discovering that in the manuals, (ford, chitons, etc..) show this both ways and I can find no verbiage describing which way they go...

Anyone have any thoughts or insight?

I'd be looking close at the amount of spring windup going on there, you need at least some for the part to stay put but if excessive the spring loops would break faster. I would probably go whichever way gives what looks like more clearance from valve retainer, no way do you want close there.

The way IIRC as well. I popped a couple of those springsets on a 2.3 hydraulic cam back in the day when a new valvejob had the guides a bit tight, they stuck occasionally at cold engine on exhausts when the valve heated up faster than guide around it to stick. The rocker would then start rattling and then pop off to fall loose under the cover. I got tired of spending time popping them back on, I got to where I could do it in less than five minutes stuck by side of road in traffic. The springs stopped the rockers falling off until I could yank head later to loosen up the guides a bit to stop it forever.