Changed pushrod tube seals to fix a slight leak. In the process, I must have bent the rod retainer, Part # 021109339, slightly which caused a bigger leak. While trying to bend that hoaky springlike contraption, it broke. Has anyone designed a better one that puts more pressure on the tubes and seals? The original design seems not very effective. So far I have not been able to find a replacement.

The spring doesn't actually aid in sealing. Its just a retainer, which is necessary.

If the leak wasn't fixed then I suggest that you may have left some soil in there.

The wire retainer just prevents the tubes from sliding away from the block and out of the bore.

In addition to dirt, a few other things can affect sealing...like the seal getting hung up on a sharp edge and being damaged on installation (easy to do)...or the pushrod tube being out of round. If all is as it should be, the o-rings should seal well without any additional help.

I'd use new tubes and Viton seals. Clean the bores till they're spotless, spread a little motor oil around the seals on assembly and make sure all are fully seated in the block. There's usually a satisfying little bump / pop when they hit home.

Good luck!

clean clean clean! Deburr sharp edges!

Old school is clean oil, some use liquid Teflon pipe sealant, I use a Dow Corning grease like product made for O-rings.

A good practice is to spin the tube as you install it in the bore.

The pushrod tube bores in my heads and block had a few nicks, which will never seal properly with just an o-ring. I filled the nicks with high temp RTV. Perhaps JB weld would have been better, but it's not as easily reversible. Likely there's a more professional solution.

Nobody likes this but it works for me.

What is that red stuff if it works for you it should work for me