Threw a shim, or did I?

[Mr95Gl]

I purchased my 94 ATX a little over a year ago, and for a car with 116K miles it drove exceptionally well. Very smooth idle, and so quiet that sometimes it was hard to tell whether it was running or not. After putting 12K miles on it, and not so much as a hiccup from the motor, and trans I came to the conclusion that it must've been serviced at some point in its life because for one, there was tape on the front timing belt cover (it was cracked), 4 of the valve cover bolts were stripped, and all my plug wells were dry of oil. This was confirmed when I found out it was serviced at a ford dealership at about 96K.

Fast forward to 2 weeks ago, I get into the car heading to work. I let it idle for a couple of minutes, and all of a sudden it starts to run rough. It'd idle rough, dip down to about 600 rpm, rise back up to 850, and run smoothly again. It continued to do this for the next 30 secs of me letting it idle. I get out the car, open the hood, and find out that when it began to idle roughly, i'd hear a clucking noise which was dissipated when the idle went back up to normal. Almost as if I lost a cylinder or 2. Ok fine, I'm not driving this car tonight, hop into the MTX and drive to work.

I was finally able to finish getting the intake/valve covers off this morning, and to my surprise find this silverish looking quarter-sized piece laying in the back of the rear head. This doesn't look to good. I get on the phone with Hamal (Racer X), and after I describe my findings, he comes to the conclusion that the motor threw a shim. Great....... so I remove it, and for some reason it looks VERY familiar. Duh, its a valve cover bolt's WASHER. WTF is it doing in the head, by the CAM? As I look around I also spot small dabs of RTV hanging inside the head. Here some shots I snapped with my cell phone camera. . . .








Here's the pieces of RTV I found that really didn't look appropiately placed. . .











Ok so now my questions are. . . .
1. Is it possible that this is the culprit of the rough idle / clucking noise I heard? It was coming from the exact location of where I found the washer.

2. I inspected the cam, and there doesn't seem to be any damaged to either of them, so would it be safe for me to proceed with the upper 60K, check my clearances, etc and button it back up?

3. Could this cause low oil pressure?

4. Should I drive up to the NH dealership, find the mechanic who worked on this car before, and run his ass over?

 

[SuperHO]

1. Is it possible that this is the culprit of the rough idle / clucking noise I heard? It was coming from the exact location of where I found the washer. Very well could be....knocking around in there.

2. I inspected the cam, and there doesn't seem to be any damaged to either of them, so would it be safe for me to proceed with the upper 60K, check my clearances, etc and button it back up? go for it

3. Could this cause low oil pressure? if it was blocking an oil passage, sure.

4. Should I drive up to the NH dealership, find the mechanic who worked on this car before, and run his ass over? Why waste the energy?

 

[CerberuS]

Edited : i misread something

 

[Racer X]

Whiskey. Tango. Foxtrot.

Are you missing any of the washers on that valve cover? How the **** did that even get in there? Jeez...

Anywho, I don't think it'd cause a drop in oil pressure since the only thing it would block would be an oil return, and those are huge. Really huge.

And on the NH drive... nah.

All the same, if something is *****'d on the heads, you're still welcome to mine. You'll just have to wait until I get them off of the car, is all.

 

[SHOtime2511]

oh thats somthing new ive never seen that before!
if theres no damage to the cams or shim go ahead and do the 60K
you should be fine

 

[Mr95Gl]

Whiskey. Tango. Foxtrot.

Are you missing any of the washers on that valve cover? How the **** did that even get in there? Jeez...

Nope, they were all accounted for before hand. In fact, the way I removed the valve cover, WITH THE BOLTS STILL ON, there'd be no way in **** for a washer to fall in without a bolt falling in with it, or me hearing it for that matter. Also I changed my oil about 800 miles ago so the oil is pretty fresh, which was on the present on the washer if you look closely at the pictures.

As for the oil pressure issue, I was refering to the RTV. There's definately a possibility that some of it could've made its way down through the oil passages. Looks like I might be pulling the pan as well, but this was an issue I was experiencing when I first got the car.

 

[93rev2sev]

Wow the mechanic lost a washer and instead of finding it...he just grabbed a new one...SUX

That thing musta had one helluva ride. Like Plinko on steroids.

Anyway. there will probably little nicks and scratches from that washer whacking around...on the inside of the valve cover...cause it's soft aluminum.

If those look tiny and insignificant, the cams/lobes/shims should be fine. If there are a bunch of large nicks, you might look more closely at the listed components.

awe...screw it..bolt it up and drive it another 150000

 

[Jonny Cash]

Was it lodged in there? If it was who knows how long it coulda been in there. Thats pretty weird that they were all accounted for.. You sure the washer matches the valve cover washers?

4. Should I drive up to the NH dealership, find the mechanic who worked on this car before, and run his ass over?

 

[Mr95Gl]

Was it lodged in there? If it was who knows how long it coulda been in there. Thats pretty weird that they were all accounted for.. You sure the washer matches the valve cover washers?

Sort of. . . . it was in an upward position (the way it is in the picture), and didn't really move when I flicked it with my finger. As I type this, I have the washer, and a washer from the valve cover sitting right on the desk. It's the exact same thing. I seriously can't believe that someone could be so careless. Unbelievable. Also there's absolutely no scratches on this thing. My motor mounts must be rock solid. . . . . . . .

 

[AREA 91]

That is definately a cam cover washer. I'm more conserned about the little black piece of metal in the head bolt. That looks like a valve keeper/lock.

 

[RAYJAY]

Nope, they were all accounted for before hand. In fact, the way I removed the valve cover, WITH THE BOLTS STILL ON, there'd be no way in **** for a washer to fall in without a bolt falling in with it, or me hearing it for that matter. Also I changed my oil about 800 miles ago so the oil is pretty fresh, which was on the present on the washer if you look closely at the pictures.

As for the oil pressure issue, I was refering to the RTV. There's definately a possibility that some of it could've made its way down through the oil passages. Looks like I might be pulling the pan as well, but this was an issue I was experiencing when I first got the car.

if you losing oil pressure ....DO YOUR ROD BEARINGS ASAP .....


ok so much for the rant lol the rvt looks ok to me. On my 1994 the oil screen was blocked with sludge

and the rod bearings were starting to go also

so for the price of a day and parts please do your rod bearings asap


Jeff

 

[Racer X]

As for the oil pressure issue, I was refering to the RTV. There's definately a possibility that some of it could've made its way down through the oil passages. Looks like I might be pulling the pan as well, but this was an issue I was experiencing when I first got the car.

If that's the case, then there's a real possibility that there's RTV blocking the pickup screen. And if that's the case, then yeah, you could develop a pressure problem. I can't remember if you did the rod bearings on that car or not. If not...

...dammit man, why did you wait until winter to do them?! Do you know how cold it is to work on rod bearings?! I'm gonna freeze my nuts off out there.

 

[Mr95Gl]

if you losing oil pressure ....DO YOUR ROD BEARINGS ASAP .....

ok so much for the rant lol the rvt looks ok to me. On my 1994 the oil screen was blocked with sludge

Jeff

Wow. . . .

I can't remember if you did the rod bearings on that car or not. If not...

Uh I've been counting my blessings. . . . . .

why did you wait until winter to do them?! Do you know how cold it is to work on rod bearings?! I'm gonna freeze my nuts off out there.

Not with all these 50 degree days! Hopefully they'll last through december. . . . .

 

[thecrew2999]

this is why you dont trust someone else to work on your car