Mystery part found in engine- What the heck

[jjefferson]

So doing a quick and dirty valve / ring job on the old plow truck and found this in the #1 cylinder intake valve, wedged down low around the valve guide. This is a 54 Dodge M37 with a transplanted 57 Plymouth Belvedere engine.

It’s the same size of a quarter with a small hole in center. Kind of reminds me of the blank slugs that were used to trick pinball /video game machines, but it has more heft to it. The center hole looks to have a wear mark where small fastener head was.

I tore the carburetor apart about a year ago (Carter BB) - but I don't recall this matching anything - of course that was a year ago, and things are kind of fuzzy from last year.

Anybody recognize what this is / was? It looks familiar but I can't figure out why.

Thanks

Jim

[Young Ed]

Reminds me of the center of a diaphram like from the fuel pump. Are the edges smooth?

[Dodgeb4ya]

The choke plate pop off valve? The thickness and edges look wrong though...

[norrism1]

With the center hole having a detent around its edge for an activation rod and the outer edge with a detent for the rubber my guess is a diaphram too. Looks like brass which whould go along with the diaphram part.

[Dodgeb4ya]

With the center hole having a detent around its edge for an activation rod and the outer edge with a detent for the rubber my guess is a diaphram too. Looks like brass which whould go along with the diaphram part.

Thats a pretty big part to go through the fuel line and needle/seat and jet! How did that part get through the intake system ? Weird... Reminds me of Don Coatneys similar lawn mower mishap. Here is a pic of a Carter steel choke pop off-kinda looks the same?

Bob

Edited November 16, 2010 by Dodgeb4ya

[Roadkingcoupe]

looks like the metal cups found in the wheel cylinders

how it migrated into the motor seems to be the real mystery?

[BobT-47P15]

Maybe whoever worked on the engine in the past tried to use it as a

repair item for the valve seat.

[Reg Evans]

I think Dodgeb4ya nailed it. It's a good thing it didn't get stuck between the valve and the seat on it's way into the cylinder.

[jjefferson]

The winner is the choke plate diaphragm.

I remembered just as I fell asleep that during the carb rebuild I had taken a bunch of pictures and voila. I knew I had recognized that part from someplace.

The little diaphragm was missing. I can't remember if I stole a spare diaphragm from the parts bin or replaced the whole choke. I do recall that the parts were slightly different - I think just the little hole on the bottom of the choke plate. Will have to dig deeper - whats one more project.

Wonder what happened to the little retainer fastener that held the diaphragm on?

Ironically this valve was one of the good ones. Number 6 intake valve is all bent, maybe the screw got stuck in that one and the diaphragm slipped by #1 with no damage.

Jim