So I have posted a few things in the New Members forum as well as on a few other threads. I decided to start my own thread that will detail my trials and tribulations with my newly acquired 2003 S.
Just to review...
I found the car on CL in Santa Cruz. Seller was very cool. Said it had zero compression in #5, no inter mix and no metal in oil. He had recently replace the water pump, alternator, RMS, IMS w/LN ceramic unit, had the tip trans fully serviced, new axle boots, new rotors, pads, etc...I got the car for a very good price. (see Found on CL thread) The seller was really great, open and honest.
And I also scored a Hardtop from another CL seller for another great price (see CL Thread)
My Father-in-law has a shop locally and thankfully allows me to use his facility. I have some experience with wrenching, but its just a hobby. (see New member intro for my other projects). I am a middle school teacher and father of a very busy HS junior. She plays water polo and is an accomplished violinist. My hobby time is very limited.
Originally I was going to try and address the issue of cylinder #5 in car. I scoped the hole (couldn't really see much) and ran my own compression tests. #5 was indeed not pumping up. I pulled the exhaust manifold and could see the exhaust valves in their seats. The problem had to be with an intake valve..top of the head, hard to reach.
Because I was not even getting a bump on the needle during the compression test, I figured that one of the intake valves must be hung open.
It was at that time I decided to drop the motor. Because of my access to the luxuries of a repair shop, I was able to drop motor and trans together. Lots of great resources on this forum as well as books made a very intimidating job manageable.
Once the motor was out, I could dig deeper. I pulled the cam cover and hiding behind the intake cam was the forward-most intake lifter for #5 sitting down in its bore. Kinda hard to see...
Off came the cams
...now its easier to see the deflated lifter.
Next came the cam cradle/lifter guide.....and what I was able to see with that out of the way.
Pulling the spring out of the way...a little damage. Not bad.
The lifter did not want to come out the way the others did. I tried a magnet wrapped in a shop cloth and that didn't work. However, once I had the cradle off the stem, i was able to easily push it out. Must have been hung up on the stem by some of the shrapnel?
I tugged on the stem a little to see if it was able to slide in the guide....but nope. So, the head needed to come off.
Once off, I could see the valve had contacted the piston, but not bad.
..and of course, the valve still hanging open...
So, that's where I'm at. Hope to send the head out this week for rebuild.
Any guesses as to what happened? Spring broke first, allowing the clips and retainer to migrate? Once no spring to pull valve back to seat, contact with the piston and then bent?