How do I tell for sure if I dropped a lifter

[Cuda Cody]

If that's the worst thing you've ever done restoring your car, then you don't have much to be embarrassed of.  I think we've all done silly stupid stuff.  And I'm sure none of us mean to do it, but things like that happen.  There would only be something wrong with you if you did it on purpose or let it stop you from finishing it.     You'll get it fixed and it will be back running soon.  Don't give up!!!! 

[Roadman]

   Hey @usraptor  don't feel bad, you should hear some of the stuff I've done or forgot. One problem I have is getting in a rush because so excited for the finish. So now you identified the problem, soon you will be cruisin.          

[usraptor]

Well when I discovered what I had done I considered letting this post die, never logging into E-bodies or any other Cuda forum again, putting the cover over the Cuda, shutting the shop door, padlocking it, flushing the key down the toilet and then crawling under a rock.  Then I thought that if I swallow my pride and admit what I did then maybe I could prevent another AMATEUR Cuda restorer the same grief.  As some of you may remember, I sent my carb back to Quick Fuel to have a leak issue addressed.  While it was gone I stuffed a small towel down the intake to prevent any bolts, etc. falling into the intake.  Then I also laid another small towel over the top of the intake.  By now you've probably guessed it.  When I got the carb back I removed the towel from on top of the intake but forgot about the towel I stuffed down inside the intake.  When I fired up the engine the towel got sucked down into the no.3 piston and apparently got lodged under the valves causing the valves not to close completely.   I considered just using a valve spring compressor and pulling the rag out instead of removing the head since it's such a PIA while in the car, especially with headers.  But after I take a break, I thinking that I'd probably better removed it so I can check the valves for any damage.   In my defense, if Quick Fuel hadn't misplaced my carb for two months, maybe my aged, feeble brain would have remembered the towel I stuffed down the intake.  Nah, probably not. 

[Cuda Cody]

Looks like it might be pretty easy to just remove it?  Do you think a soft towel would do any damage to a lifter? 

[usraptor]

Cody, the lifter is fine.  I'm just concerned about whether it may have bent the valves and in turn caused damage to the valve seat.  My gut would say no, but it'd be just my luck to not remove the head after I've got it down to this point, then find out after I put it back together that I've still got a problem.

[Brads70]

You have come this far like you said I'd remove the head just for piece of mind. There is a good chance depending on what piston you used of the valves contacting the piston.

[HP_Cuda]

Gee I was trying to remember why I went with a full roller setup. 

Definitely pull the head and check everything. I wouldn't be surprised if the valve is bent but hopefully the guide isn't hosed.

Don't feel bad, I had laid down a paper town on an intake install and almost forgot it but remembered before I fired it up and pulled it back through the distributor opening. It's not what happens its how you react to it. Keep moving forward and later you will enjoy the ride and have a laugh.

After that, it's change the cam and flush the engine time.

Uh, no... The metal will already be imbedded in bearings & pistons.... On old 100,000 mile motors everything is loose & it causes some damage but since there's extra clearance it usually still keeps running.... On a tight fresh engine the metal scores bearings & embeds in the bearings & pistons then scores the crankshaft & cylinder walls... The lifted metal on the bearing/piston vs the lifted metal on the crank/cylinder wall leads to galling & eventually seizing....

Sorry, BTDT flushing & hoping for the best rarely works.....

As far as why the valve still moves, the lobe isn't gone, just doesn't have all of it's original profile....

So what you're saying is if this happens, you have to replace everything in the shortblock but the block??   

Sometimes... And I've seen where the block itself is fubar....  I hope he can save most of the engine but everything & I do mean everything has to come apart to be cleaned & inspected...   Rocker shafts, pull the end plugs cause that passage gets loaded.. valves out to check the guides, clean, thoroughly flush & inspect everything..

I've known of engines that got rebuilt four times cause something got missed... Don't chance it....  Sorry but losing a cam on a fresh engine is a nightmare... There's a reason rollers are worth the $$$ besides the extra power...

[Shane Kelley]

Cody, the lifter is fine.  I'm just concerned about whether it may have bent the valves and in turn caused damage to the valve seat.  My gut would say no, but it'd be just my luck to not remove the head after I've got it down to this point, then find out after I put it back together that I've still got a problem.

Compression test will tell if there is a valve problem without pulling the head. If the compression is down then pull the head.

[JS29]

A leak down test would be the test I would do. I happen to have A compression tester that has the same nipple for the gauge as my air hose. insert the one end in the head and the other to the air hose. piston up valves closed. as far as the top of the piston a bore scope.   

[dodj]

I'm glad things are looking up. I expected you to have a really fubar'd head on your hands. 

[RUNCHARGER]

Well: That could have been worse I think. I was thinking it was a piece of metal. There's a couple of ways to go, you can do it on the car and then shoot some air in there to see if it seals, that's what I would do. Tell your wife you need to buy a borescope anyway, new tools are cool.

[734406PK]

Cody, the lifter is fine.  I'm just concerned about whether it may have bent the valves and in turn caused damage to the valve seat.  My gut would say no, but it'd be just my luck to not remove the head after I've got it down to this point, then find out after I put it back together that I've still got a problem.

Compression test will tell if there is a valve problem without pulling the head. If the compression is down then pull the head.

I agree!

[usraptor]

So you say you have a slight miss; the engine is hard to start, and it seems to be only running on 7 cylinders.  I don't know, we took it apart and couldn't find anything obvious. 

[Brads70]

Did the valve hit the piston? Any bent valves?  ( I'm hoping not...!)

[usraptor]

After my son and I removed the head and the rag we checked the valves with a straight edge and they didn't appear to be bent.  The valve seat was also undamaged. We put the valves back in and then filled the head chamber with brake clean and there was no leakage after several minutes.  Also there was no damage to the top of the piston so it doesn't appear that the valve hit it.     So it appears I dodged a bullet.  Need to buy new head, exhaust and intake gaskets and put it back together.  However, have my annual 10-day Long Range fishing trip coming up and I'm in the middle of building  two rods, so the Cuda will have to wait until the rods are done or I'm between stages on the rods and can get back to the 'Cuda.  Thanks for all the advise and encouragement.  As much as I hate being stupid I have to look on the bright side, and at least I didn't wipe my cam or something similar.