There's something in there...

I apparently need a little more evidence, and more research.

While I'm at it, go and research the past posts in this thread as well, shall you? I'd like to see melted aluminum stuck to the cylinder head, as I haven't seen any yet. I did find the strap from a spark plug, which is not aluminum. It had bounced between cylinders, and it caused the damage to the cylinder head and the pistons. Steel vs. aluminum, steel wins.

But, I suppose it's easier to throw out 'detonation' and tell people to go figure it out.

Thanks for the help I came here for. You're a lifesaver.

 

Well, I thought i was helping by pointing you in the right direction. Apparently not, so will move on to something else. Best of luck.

fyi pic #4 in post 25 shows a glob of previously molten aluminum stuck to the head. Each pic shows the classic poc marking left when cylinders experience moderate to severe detonation. Not a definitive diagnosis, just someone’s opinion based upon the limited data provided. Take it for what it is worth, but please don’t attack the helper. Are you suggesting some type of magic bullet theory here? Electrode breaks off and finds a way into each different cylinder causing damage? How is it moving from cylinder to cylinder?

 

Did you get all the pieces out of the cat? Personally I would not run it again until you are certain you've recovered all the missing pieces.. I think you already got the ground strap out right?

I recall a thread on here some years ago where a guy had his cat break down and partially clog. The catalyst material ended up severely scoring the cylinder walls and in the engine oil. My point is everything inside an engine & exhaust is violent. Just because the piece(s) are currently in the cat, doesn't mean they will stay down there. I think thats backed up by the fact we've seen it bounce between cylinders a few times so far

 

Spark plug components are playing pinball in your combustion chambers. Oof.

I would bet that you already checked all of the ports to make sure nothing else was left in them, on or near the valve.

Checking the cat by pulling out that stretch of exhaust and dumping it out is also a good idea.

 

This was not aluminum, it was steel. After I pulled it off, it was magnetic, and there was a portion that I could see the grain structure. This was the strap from the spark plug, not aluminum. All of the marks in the cylinders are impact marks, and there is zero sign of anything melting.

 

So I got it back together. I was getting a misfire in cylinder 1 this time.. As I noted earlier, I was going to play musical components to see what the problem was. I swapped the coils in cylinders 1 and 2, and .. Poof. No more misfiring, running great.

I have a set of cheap Amazon coils in it right now, just to be used for testing in case the old coils were bad. I plan to put some Denso's back in it shortly. Maybe the plug head in cylinder 1 was at minimum spec, and the coil pack was at max spec, and they just didn't cooperate quite right, but swapping the two coils made everything happy? I don't know, but I'm not going to jinx it, it's working for now.

.. I'll start a new thread in a year or two when I tear the whole thing apart for a full rebuild. I plan to give my kid an essentially new 20 year old truck. That's when I'll replace the cylinder head all together due to the damage, rebuild the trans, .. Realistically, do everything and make it into a new truck. Is it just me, or is it a little disgusting that the part I'm most excited about is going over the frame, inspecting the welds, fixing any that need it, and installing gussets to strengthen it, since I am (or I once was..) a welder?

 

There is an resounding sense of accomplishment when you look at what you're dealing with, and find a way to improve upon it. Frame/Engine/Everything.

I totally understand that.

 

Op, throw that k&n filter in the trash can.