2005 Aveo High Idle

[edh1005]

Newbie here! Bought 2005 Aveo with 50,000 miles and two bent valves. Took head to shop put in two new valve guides all new valves. Installed. Started car up for a few seconds, motor racing about 4 grand shut it down. checked throttle cable, everything appeared correct. Started again same thing. Couldn't find anything. Tried the third time (third time is the charm) NOT! all the intake valves are bent. All my timing marks are still aligned. Haven't pulled head yet but exhaust valves appear ok. Intake buckets are not touching intake cam. Anyone have any thoughts on this? Could the motor racing cause the valves to bend? What could cause the engine to race like that.

[avguy]

A vacuum leak, such as at the intake manifold could be a reason for the high idle, but there's no logical reason the high idle could be the cause of the bent valves. If you're certain it didn't jump time, then a WAG would be something being sucked into the intake, perhaps related to a leak, and then messing up the valves. However, I'm not aware of anything like that being posted here, and I'd be the first to agree it's a really far out theory. But I'd expect the reason for the bent valves should be apparent when you pull it apart again.

[edh1005]

"then a WAG would be something being sucked into the intake"
what's that mean?

[avguy]

Wild A$$ Guess. And not trying to tell you it's that, just grasping for anything that could explain bent valves when there's no timing belt issue.

[edh1005]

Follow up. When I pulled the cam gear off I assume the pin on the gear came loose. When everything was put back together I think the pin finally came out. When disassembled I found the pin was in the gear itself. Put new valves in, tapped pin surely in into cam. Runs great.