Sticky Valve on Front Engine

[edasmus]

Oh and one other thing, did you look inside the the cylinder with a boriscope (spelling?)? Check the face of the exhaust valve (the smaller one of the two) and look for uneven heat signatures. The face of the exhaust valve should have a very symmetrical appearance sort of like looking at a pizza with the sauce spread evenly over the entire crust. If the valve is not seating properly, the face will appear uneven where the "hot spot" is. If you see this, this is very bad and should be removed immediately.

[hharney]

The scope is a great tool to investigate the issue. I have had valves stick before and ended up with bent push rods and tubes. I would not operate the engine until the symptom is verified. If you can't verify the issue then pull the jug and proceed with overhaul or evaluation at the shop. Check the cam lobes carefully for any damage also if it was a sticky valve.