Loose Rocker Spring stuck, Timing aligned

[mattp_65]

Hello Just bought a 1ga talon TSI AWD to fix and run a stock dsm. Bought it from a kid saying that it had rod knock (making a loud knocking ticking noise), so I bought it for cheap.
So I started tearing it apart hoping just to swap out the bottom end.
So I remove the oil pan checking to see the damage, and nothing no shavings no metal pieces. So it got me thinking that the bottom end might be ok (pretty clean and no damage from looking at the rods and crank).
I have bent a connecting rod before and everything lined up also but dropping the pan showed a different story.

Everything was at TDC and all marks are lined up.
So I opened the valve cover and everything seemed to in line (just baked in oil, bronze colored head haha).
So I played with all the components and one of the rockers moved and it was loose. I said ok with more moving it just came off the lifter.
So hoping it was a collapsed lifter, pulled the stock lifter and it is still pretty strong and cannot be depressed.
So looking at the spring it was more compressed then the others.
What could it be a bent valve (but all timing is aligned)?
How is the spring more compressed? Do I need to pull the head? This is what my guess the kid was hearing was a loud rocker that was loose and lucky did not fall off.
What are my next steps?
thanks in advance

 

[thomcasey]

Pull the head. He may have bent a valve (blew the timing belt) and replaced it no thinking that he bent valves

 

[SrKegler]

Are you sure the valve that was compressed was off the lobe of the cam? With your description sounds like the engine didn't get oil changed very often. Lifters could be gummed up.

I've never seen an engine with just one bent valve due to a belt breaking.

Try collapsing the lifter using a paper clip and flush them out. Might as well try the cheap fixes first.

 

[mattp_65]

My guess IMO is that you are right seems oil change was lacking and could have been gummed up but some how maybe a valve guide broke and jammed the valve and bent it maybe. I still have not looked at the valve yet. I wonder if I take off the exhaust manifold I can see if it is broken or bent since I will need to remove the head anyways.

 

[BoostedinSoFla]

I would just pull the head off and take it apart and inspect everything. Might as well bleed the lifters while you have everything apart and check over all the valves. Might as well change the valve seals too.

 

[mattp_65]

Well I guess I can use my spare head with some revised lifters
budget build to get it running haha