From the photos it looks like the valve keeper has mostly failed on the
intake valve for cylinder #1. You should stop running the engine until
that is fixed. Might want to pull the other valve cover and see what is
going on there.

I wonder if those are VW heads or AMC?

Mark

Mark Pinnell wrote:
> Hi all,
> I have completed all of the electrical and fuel diagnostics as per Bentley
> and advice from this source and everything checks out OK.
> Zip tied the broken Hall sender unit to the distributor and it seems solid
> (new unit is in transit).
> Did a compression test today and have the two cylinders at the rear within
> accepted range (127 and 140), but cannot get anything on the front two
> cylinders (both read zero). I am guessing that I have found my 'issue'.
> Pulled the head cover on the passenger side and found one valve 'out of
> sorts'. Attached a photo but wouldn't load. Basically, one spring is pushed
> out and appears to be worn down between the adjuster and the valve.
> Adjuster and spring seem OK. Can forward photo to individual email
> addresses if that helps.
> Any thoughts/guidance would, once again, be appreciated. I am pretty much
> pushing my mechanical envelope at this point, but I will continue to read
> online and try what the group suggests. Baring that, it goes to a
> professional mechanic in the spring. She goes into storage today.
> Thanks in advance,
> Mark
>