engine and drivetrain Smashed Valve Head

[2002Targa]

Well SHIT!!! 

Went to adjust my valves this AM and couldn't figure out why the eccentric was going all the way around.  What does this?  Is this somewhat common?  I'm hoping that it was just from pounding on a poorly adjusted valve, I'd think that if the valve had smacked there would be worse signs than just clacky valves..

 

I haven't pulled the head yet, but I'm thinking at the minimum, I'm going to have to strip it down and take a whizwheel to the valvestem to get it out.

 

Life lesson...NEVER SELL YOUR CAR!! Because you will then have go and fix all the crap that the PO did on your next one!!

[mikebontoft]

hmm... probably excessively tight clearance. I haven't seen that happen to a valve before though. you have have to check if the stem is also bent at the top or if it works fine.

what are these valves made out of? seems somewhat malleable.

[TobyB]

Aftermarket valve, maybe?  the tips are pretty hard on the BMW ones.

 

I'd vote for LOOSE clearance, but that's not a common problem.

 

t

[Harv]

I bet someone "dressed" the valve tip during the last valve job.

John

[c.d.iesel]

x8.......  never seen that before ?  - 43 years in the bizz.

[2002Targa]

Yeah, I go out and stare at it every half hour or so and think WTF??

[roadhog0]

xWhatever, never seen that before... Maybe a shitty aftermarket valve? Definitely odd...

[Mike Self]

Had the seat area on the original intake valves on my '69 completely wear away until the valve in #2 pulled through the seat and broke a rocker arm--obviously a poorly heat treated (OEM) valve, so most anything is possible...seats were undamaged, BTW.

 

Show a good machinist that galled valve adjustment disk and I'll bet he could tell you what the problem was...I've never seen an adjuster galled like yours (or a valve stem mushroomed either...)

 

mike

[TobyB]

I've seen that galling (some) but never that much damage to the tip of the stem...

 

t

[mikebontoft]

Either too loose or too tight makes sense... too loose and it smacks the hell out of it. too tight and it may just deform or bend it. Hmm. I think I'm going with loose. But I have never seen that before.

[LimeySteve]

If loose that would have been really noisy ! too tight & friction with no oil in between & the galling would make sense.

 

Was it rattly ? , if not I'm going with too tight till it wore it out & then went noisy when it made it's own clearance.

[TobyB]

Thing is, I've taken motors apart that had all the valves so tight that the thing didn't make enough compression to start.

 

The seats will get damaged, (eroded) the valves will get damaged (overheat and crack) but the tips neved did THAT.

 

Likewise with loose adjusters...

 

Oh.

 

What if the adjuster slipped, and the PO drove it with .250" of clearance for a decade?

 

t

[mikebontoft]

or someone did a decade's worth of hard driving in a year?

[2002Targa]

Someone local suggested that it might just be a smashed lash cap (crossing fingers)  It would make sense, it does have a shrick 292 in it.

 

Now I just need to get the springs off to take a peek.  Has anyone used one of these spring compressors before?

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/OEM-Valve-spring-compressor-with-knob/_/N-25j4?itemIdentifier=231210_0_0_

 

Thanks,

TK

[jimk]

Can't do much with the tool without the valve train disassembled which means the head is on the bench. 

Edited October 7, 2013 by jimk