I ask this because I realised that my car has very bad engine note. I have never noticed it before until recently when the weather starts to turn really cold and when I start the car, the idling sounds terrible.

Then I remembered reading a recent post where a member overev his engine when he downshifted and bent his vavles. I remembered doing that about a month or two ago when I was on the highway and I downshifted 3 gears.(the car was cruising) ALMOST immediately the engine cut off for a while.

What I want to know is whether I have bent my valves and how do I check?

Thanks

 

Your car would run like hell if you had a bent valve. You could run compression test, or a leakdown check. You wouldn't be able to hold compression with a bent valve.

 

So if my car runs fine, ie not problem with acceleration, there is no bent valves?

 

It is very hard to percieve some problems, especially if you don't have another car to compare. If you are worried, take the time to get it tested.