Well after the Opti crapped out, then having to replace my lifters (3 were cracked and sticking), putting my Mac Mid Headers on and discovering 3 broken header bolts, a 1" crack in my Oil Pan (I guess from the header install), New Delco Plugs, then putting everything back together, I found I still had a miss and clack. So, I pulled my Pass. side valve cover and on my #6 cylinder one of the valves was missing a PushRod, which I could see in the intake. I was able to use a magnet and got it out, but it was all bent to hell and beat up the area on the head where the push rod hole is. The only thing I could think is that it wasnt on the lifter good and it came off then got bent all up. I went and got a new PushRod and intalled it and oh my God it sounded like it was going to blow up!!! I pulled the PushRod back out of that valve and it was fine again(other than a slight miss and hearing the lifter rattle a little). So, Im thinking its probably a bent valve and the heads gonna have to come off now!! That sound like what it probably is to you guys? Im tempted to just pull the intake again and remove that lifter and run it on 15 Valves for the time being as its going on 8 weeks now since all this sh%t started happening.

 

Man, you have got some serious issues with that motor. I think it's out of time, like the timing chain slipped or something like that. Maybe the lifters cracked when things started running into eachother? I'm willing to bet that it's a timing problem.

 

I think you may have something there^. When it all started I went to crank the car after sitting all weekend (rainy) and when I turned the key it went clunk and I felt something kinda jam in the bottom of the engine, so Im wondering if when the Opti died(the metal piece the turns was broken), it caused the chain to jump time causing all this mess. Does the symptom I described sound like a bent valve? If so can you diagnose a bent valve without removing the head?

 

A leak down test will find it.