onegreedy

ok here goes, we did a 1997 v6 to 1999 gt swap and all is done, we were running straight h pipes for a while so we would only hear the exhause, and i thought i could faintly hear the sound of what could either be an exhaust leak on the manifold or a valve tap.

here is where it gets weird,

last saturday i start the car and it is completly missing on 1 cylinder so i do the basics check spark then fuel, both were good so i pulled the plug on the cylinder we determined was missing, dam plug was smashed, smashed together and slightly to one side, replaced the plug and now runs good, got the exhaust put on today, and now i know i can definatly hear something that sounds like valve tap, i is obvious only 1 cylinder and under idle or slight acceleration does not make noise, under anything more than 1/2 idle it begins, and the harder you accelerate the louder it sounds,

now here is what i am thinking
#1 something got into the cylinder and tagged the sparkpug and maybe a valve,

#2 the lifter/ self adjuster for the valve is stuck from not running for almost 2 years

#3 there is a gremling living in the engine and dont like high rpm's

#4 any ideas?
thanks