Big problem

So I did a poor mans TGV delete today, and when I drilled through the TGV flaps I think maybe a screw fell through into the combustion chamber or where the valves are. I used wet paper tower to stop them from falling but on one of them I just screwed without putting paper towel down first. I used a vacuum at the top of the TGV to try and get it out but I maybe did not get it out.. I got everything together and then started the car. Sounds like crap now and the engine is knocking big time. I dont really know where to go from here, I am thinking about bringing it to my friends shop to start my engine building process... any ideas ?

 

It's my daily driver so I am kind of freaking out help is appreciated

I think starting the engine was a bad idea, although you are likely aware of that now. Unfortunately, that engine will need to come out and the damage assessed. There is a screw bouncing around in your engine/valvetrain.

 

I guess my questions are : What was your expectation when you started the car ? Were you hoping the screw would go away ?

I didnt realize it was in there, I thought it was out

I didnt realize it was in there, I thought it was out

 

OK, I understand now. I wasn't trying to give you grief. I have had my share of issues with my car, so I understand your pain. I am fairly sure that you will need to dig into your engine to figure out what damage may have occurred.

Expensive delete. Rebuild time

Find a boroscope and borrow it. Jack the engine up on that side by removing the motor mount nuts and jacking the engine up about 3" and sitting that side on a very small chunk of 2x4 and sitting it back into the cradle. Remove both coils and then remove the plug out of the cylinder that you dropped the screw into and look inside. Examine the plug very closely and you'll most likely see that it closed up the gap on the plug from the screw bouncing around in there. Look in that cylinder with the boroscope and try to see exactly what kind of damage there is and if you're really lucky, the screw may be just laying inside of there and you can use a small magnet to fish it out.

 

Now remove the valve cover and examine the intake valves on that cylinder very closely and make sure that they are not locked open or didn't break anything from a screw being lodged in between the valve head and valve seat. With the valve cover off, it's easier to try to fish out the screw with the magnet. REALLY search in there and push a small piece of magnet on a string into the hole and try to move it around and make SURE there is nothing in the cylinder with the boroscope BEFORE you do the next step.

 

Have someone turn the engine over and examine all of the intake valves closely to make sure that they are all moving as they should. If they all appear to move the same amount and appear to be closing (try moving the shim buckets with your fingers-there will be times you can when the lobe is opposite and times you can't when the lobe is contacting on the tip or ramp) and if they all feel the same, AND if you've gotten the detritus COMPLETELY out of the cylinder and it doesn't appear to be completely destroyed in the boroscope, button it up (valve cover back on, new plug in that cylinder and both of the coils back in place and plugged in), sit it back in the cradle, bolt it down, start it and be ready to immediately shut it off at the "wrong sound". If it's not knocking let it idle for a few minutes and then restart it.

 

If you got lucky, it didn't do much damage except close up the plug gap causing it to miss terribly. I've seen that kind of stuff happen (screws fall into intake manifold from carburetor or related parts) and fished the screw out and it ran fine for a long time.

 

You may or may not be that lucky but it's worth a shot.

Alright, thanks for the help... this is gonna take awhile, missing school and work and its -11 degrees.. i think im gonna have a shop do this

Sorry for your problem, but next time, its easier to remove the intake manifold and tgv's as a unit and do this on a bench. 8 long bolts, a few connectors and the fuel lines from the shock tower, the tmic and the whole thing lifts off the block.

 

Hey tighten up the fuel line clamps too.

Subscribed for possible carnage or extreme luck!

 

 

Thanks, I needed a good laugh, LOL

I'm screwed

See my click here link for what I did for a new ej257 short block...

 

I think they are now down to around $1600...?

You probably need a new short block and heads most likely. Hopefully it's still in there and didn't get sucked out and passed through your turbo.

or may be it got caught in the catted up pipe...

Tag. Hoping for the best.

No cats

oh dear...FWIW, I like my vf52...

I like my VF52 also. It's rebuild time.. towing to the shop today.

Happened to me on a VERY expensive Mazda rotary engine. Removed carb, washer must have fell into intake. I always was careful to run a magnet into the intakes before re-assembling.

 

In this case, the washer washer was aluminum. That little washer destroyed the entire motor:redface:

 

Started it up, varroom-----, clank!!!!!!!!! End of motor:mad:

Could be worse, could be raining. Car is waiting at the shop for build. I guess it will be fun to have a built engine w forged internals but there goes my tax return and lots of monies..

Wouldn't rain be better then the snow and cold you have right now ? Your in Minnesota right ?

You did the tgv mod, while the tgv was bolted to block? Expensive way to learn not to do that, hope everything works out! At least it gives you a reason for more power , sometimes people need a little push.

Still on block, I was told to stuff em with wet paper towels before drilling, my dumb@ss forgot to stuff one and just tried to vacuum it out, to no avail .. obviously.

 

Yep, Minnesota, cold as b@lls.

#shouldacheckedvacuumbag

#thankyoucaptainhindsight

 

How many miles were on the car? All you have to do is tell yourself the car needed a rebuild anyway, that lowers the pain imo. Self-trickery!