Why not run a compression check? If you have a broken ring #1 cylinder should read low. Great way to find out! You'll have to pull hte oil pan and slide that piston out to inspect the rings, not just take the head off. Yes, the intake is integral with the head -- except for the top plate which just holds the carb. Take the plate off, it could warp without the head bolts in. Something, such as a piece of washer, could have fallen in a spark plug hole. I've had that happen before! Could be a valve sticking and making the clicking noise as well. ------------------------ Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 09:58:51 -0600 From: Bruce Griffis <bruce.griffis@xxxxxxxxx> Well - my car was idling nice, sounding good! Last night my son and I heard some bad scraping noises from the front. We shut it down. I pulled all the plugs, disconnected the battery and turned it by hand. Phew!!! The fan belt was scraping against a hose clamp towards the top of the engine. I rotated the hose clamp, tightened it down, then turned the engine again by hand. No more scraping sound. BUT ... - I did hear a clicking noise from the first cylinder. I put m finger over the spark plug hole, and it seems like after I hit TDC then go back down on the stroke - something in the cylinder makes a brief scrape then a click - I'm imagining a broken piston ring acting up as the cylinder changes direction. Rather than imagine - I'd like to pull the head and take a look. I figure it's not time to do a compression test - as I can hear noises from inside the engine. So - when removing the head, first I remove the hoses, then I remove the valve cover, then the exhaust manifold, then the carb? Do I need to remove the intake manifold? Is the intake manifold integral to the head? Right now I've got all bolts sprayed with PB Blaster and am trying to figure out next steps. -- Frank Swygert Publisher, "American Motors Cars" Magazine (AMC) For all AMC enthusiasts http://farna.home.att.net/AMC.html (free download available!) _______________________________________________ Amc-list mailing list Amc-list@xxxxxxxxxxxx http://splatter.wps.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/amc-list