MY04, 75k miles. Less than one year ownership on current owner, vague maintenence history from previous owner.
Cylinder one both exhaust valves. Has anyone ever seen a valve ground down at the stem where the rocker arm pushes? The stem has been beat on so badly that it has actually mushroomed. The other stem has been ground down so bad that its well below the retainer and almost flush with the keepers.
I suspect that someone attempted a valve adjustment and left these so loose that the hammering effect just beat the stems to a pulp.
I have pictures but dont know how to post them here from my phone.

 

I have seen that before, not sure what causes it , perhaps improper valve clearances. The one valve sounds like the retainer is cracked, without seeing pictures, but that isn't common on ap2's. Needless to say the head has to come off, before you drop a valve and cause more damage.

 

Pics would tell a great deal. By description, I have never seen this.

 

Are these OEM valves and rocker arms?

 

As far as i know, yes they are stock.

Working on getting pictures posted here shortly.

 

 

Drkphnx, yours?

 

Jason, its another local owner.

 

Mushrooming of a metal object like a bolt or valve occurs when it gets pounded on the end and it can't move any further in the opposite direction of the force being applied. I think the valve clearance was too tight. The other valve looks like it's sitting in a cracked retainer ?. Some other member has posted about a mushroomed valve in the past, not sure who that was though.

 

You can see in this image the valve stem (what remains of it) is worn down to the point where its essentially flush with the keepers.

This one is the forward exhaust valve of cylinder #1.