Hey all, new to the forum and recently purchased my first third gen. A little about the car,
It is a 1992 Firebird, originally a V6 car and someone wasted time and efforts to swap a 305 in there. I've had a ridiculous amount of trouble trying to get the car running. Had spark issues that I solved and now having carb issues with the stock Quadrajet. Got a Street warrior manifold and a 650 Holley to throw on there from a buddy to see if we can finally get her running, and to my disgusted surprise after ripping off the intake, was this cotton-candy type substance, wrapped around the pushrods. It's colored like jute, the stuff underneath the carpets in your homes. Any idea what the crap this is? I'll get some pictures in a bit.

 

 

Looks like a mouse made a home in there.
Pull the motor and clean everything out.

 

That's what I had assumed, but why in the world is it wrapped around the rods like that? I'll clean her up the best I can and hope that there are no carcasses in there.

 

Wow, yep that would be my guess too.. Mouse/rat nest.

Oh and that stuff that 'looks like jute', I guess it to be jute, yours from your car's firewall or other interior. Mice love tearing that stuff off to make nests with

 

Looks like that engine wasn't maintained, keep an eye out for a 350.

 

On a flat tappet cam the push-rods spin with the lifters. I hate to say it but that engine is on borrowed time. That stuff has to be clogging the oil system.

RBob.

 

How in the hell would a mouse get into a motor unless it sat open?

pull the oil filter and cut it open, make sure it didn't lose its guts too. also drop the pan and clean that out along with the pickup.