OK, as embarrassing of a story as this is, I feel I have to share it because I don't want to cause more damage than I already may have.

So here's the story, left a rag in the intake manifold over the winter due to the egr being unhooked to clean it, and forgot it was there. It sucked into cylinder #2.

As soon as it happened I parked the car, last week I ripped the head off of the passenger side. Piston didn't contact the valve, but I was told I may have bent a rod due to the rag being in there.

When it was running it was making a noise, sort of a knocking, but it seemed to be coming from the top end more than the bottom end. Could the slack in the valvetrain from the intake valve being slightly open cause the clacking noise?

I really don't want to pull the engine if I don't have to because I don't have any of the equipment to do so in my driveway at my apartment. I've attached some pics of the rag, how it was when I pulled the heads.

My initial plan was to just replace the heads with some 243, or 241 heads with some work done to them, but I don't want to get it back together and still have problems.

I know I'm an idiot, and any opinions would be greatly appreciated.

 

The knocking noise that you are referring to is when it was running with the rag still stuck it the head? Then yes the knocking noise is from the slack in the valvetrain from the intake valve being held open by the rag. If the engine did not lock up from the piston trying to compress the rag, I would say the rod is okay.

 

Thanks for the input! It was when the rag was still in the engine yes. I still have the passenger side head off, took the lifters for both intake and exhaust out for that cylinder too. For 130k the cylinder walls, pushrods, lifters, cam lobes(the few I could see) and everything I could inspect look amazing.

The car never stalled, just sputtered (I would imagine from the intake valve being held open) at the low rpms I was limping home in.

If I can get some more confirmation that I likely didn't bend a rod I'll be ordering some heads at the end of the week to toss on it.

Thanks again for the input.

Edit: also, more pics from the adventure of ripping the head off.

 

Well at this point I believe I'm going to order up some heads and gaskets on Friday. Hopefully the next week I'll scoop up some spohn solids, and toss them on while the heads are off. I have some longtubes to put on aswell, hopefully I can position them then bolt the heads on. I was able to get the passenger head off with the exhaust manifold chilling there, I'll be pulling the drives side head later in the week. I may replace lifters while I'm in there. Will update with progress.

 

get some precision measuring equipment and compare the piston top to the deck. If you get the same in all 4 cylinders you are good to go

 

Could just replace the valves & guides in the port that the rag was in. Doubt that the rod is bent.

The load may have cause the rod bearing to kiss the crank, but anyone who has torn down an engine can see that it happens under the force of combustion anyway. So, probably isn't an issue. Just cut the oil filter open in a month or so & look for rod bearing material to ensure that the rod hasn't spun.

 

If it means anything oil psi never dropped and stayed steady at where it was. I know most of the time a spun bearing will impact oil psi.

As for reusing the heads, they're 806s. I've heard they're the worst of the worst when it comes to ls1 heads. Maybe a home port job is in order? I could do some mild work to them, worst I can do is ruin them and get a set of 243s to bolt on.

 

I could scoop up some new tools for this, thanks for the advise.

 

You might have a bent rod due to the rag, but you may also be fine. Its something there is no definite answer for. So you can check it. I would get a dial gauge and set it to check the top of the pistons at full height. If this cylinders piston is less, then you have a bent rod. They should all be very close if not the same.

 

I would not hesitate one microsecond to replace the lifters while the whole top end is off.

I have to do this now (pull the WHOLE top end off of the engine) just to replace probably two destroyed factory original lifters.
Even though I have about 50K more miles than you do on it, it is just NOT worth the effort, and added expense of all new gaskets/etc., and wasted effort, to put your 130K mile lifters back in and wait until they fail.

BTW; Spohn solid whats?? (Solid rollers?)

 

Spohn solid motor mounts. My factory rubber ones are so shot I could almost pull the back bolts of the intake out. The engine rocks like crazy and sets probably 1.5-2in lower than it should.

 

Good deal, wasn't quite sure if that idea would work. Would an autozone unit sufice for this application?

 

I have another question.

Would it be okay to coat my cylinder walls in some marine grease to avoid rust for the few weeks until I get heads? I know I'll have to remove it before the head install, but it seems better than having to re-oil them every few days like I have to now.

 

OK, yes, I should have been able to figure that one out, especially since they don't make valvetrain parts!

 

Interesting development, that I overlooked earlier..

That's not a stock ls1 lifter is it?