>| I replaced my head a couple weeks ago (85 GL)
[snip]
>| Then as I came to a stop sign the engine just died.  When I tried to
>| restart it there was this really loud clanking sound.  I found that the
>| push rod for the number four cylinder intake valve had come loose and
>| jammed in-between the rocker and the side of the head.  The valve was
>| stuck open.

        I had this happen after have my heads machined while I was replacing
the head gaskets on my 87 syncro. When I took the recently machined heads
into AVP for cores, Leonard told me that the new valve guide for the intake
in #3 had not been put in straight. I hadn't even told him that anyone had
touched the heads recently...

>|   I suspect the valve was bent by the piston, but does
>| anyone know whether the piston can actually contact the valve. If it
>| can't then the valve must have become too hot, not having it's seat to
>| cool it.  Anyone have any ideas on what happened?  The cylinder head is
>| an AVP that only had about 40 miles on it.  Can anyone think of a repair
>| that doesn't require the head removal.

        It the valve and piston touched, you may have a cracked/chipped
piston as I did. You will also need to have the guide checked I would think.

dave