Broken clip/thing in engine, what is it?

[TLarsen]

I pulled the push rod cover from my '91 CTD and found this clip/thing laying between the #2 and #3 pushrods. It appears to have part of it broke off (right side in pic below). What is it? This engine seemed to run fine when I bought it.

 

["Mad Max"]

Trent, is that you? Sup dude?!



Hey, I've never had the covers off mine, but that looks like a patial section of a valve spring. Dunno for sure - anyone else?



- M2

 

[TLarsen]

Trent, is that you? Sup dude?!



Hey, I've never had the covers off mine, but that looks like a patial section of a valve spring. Dunno for sure - anyone else?



- M2

Yes Sam, it's me



The only things inside the cover are the push rods and the top of the lifters, that's it. It's certainly not a valve spring, way too small, it appears to more of a retaining clip, but I'm not sure. It has a slight amount of orange paint on both sides, so it's not a sealing ring. I just don't know what it is or where it could have come from.



This is a high mileage engine (200k-300k miles), but I don't think this cover has ever been off before. Maybe it's just a piece of debris that was left in during initial assembly, but I'd like to know for sure before I button it back up.

 

[sdstriper]

Could be a piece of expansion plug, there's one in there about that size at the front of the block next to the VE.



If it's 17. 73mm that's it, . 698, a little bigger than 11/16

 

[Greenleaf]

valve stem seal spring.

 

[TLarsen]

valve stem seal spring.

I believe you've nailed it. I haven't pulled the valve covers yet, but I grabbed a new seal out of the new gasket set and it looks like you are correct. I hadn't planned on replacing the valve guide seals, but I guess I will now. No big deal I suppose.



Thanks!

 

[PToombs]

Yup, just what it is! Somebody else had this problem about a year ago. I saw one of these buggers waste an engine. It got sucked up into the oil pump, and jammed. The engine has more HP that the key on the gear can hold!

Make sure you got both halves!

 

[TLarsen]

Well, I cleaned the oil pan and pulled the valve covers, I don't see the other half anywhere. I can't even tell which seal is missing the spring. Maybe when I change the valve stem seals I'll find the missing half.

 

[JLEONARD]

Scott... I decree that you should get 1. 725 bonus hp for that and a chance in the drawing for 50 bonus hp.

 

[Greenleaf]

Jay,



Don't bother. That wasn't even a challenge for me. And I don't need another 50 hp. Life is good. I'm happy.