There's a dent in one of the runners, but I can't figure out what could have caused this...???

 

A lot of guys drop/bump them with their tools when they are working. They seem to be fairly easily dented, so it doesn't take much. I don't think a dent that size would do much in affecting performance. There was a post up not too long ago about how to fix these. There are many different ways.

 

What I'm really interested in nowing is during what "procedure" does this most commonly occur? I'm just worried coz my car puffs some blue smoke at startup. Thinking some previous owner had the engine apart and possibly did a bad job in reassembling it..... or something....??

 

That runner doesnt look dented to me ..it kinda looks
like it was dented and fixed ..

Could be the valve seals ...

 

Who knows, you could look at those runners funny and dent them with an evil stare.

I once dropped a screwdriver on one and left a nice dent... and the hood was on the car so its not like I dropped it from 5 feet, was more like 1.

 

No worries Darrell and Jeff dented it by accident when they put a new motor in out by the tree.

HA !and you thought the last owner was a little old lady who kept it in the garage and olny drove it to bingo .

Just kidding no idea

 

guess?

guess 1: using a ratchet to tighten the TPS, the handle dropps.

guess 2: someone had a tool in their hand, and placed the hand on the plenum while looking at somthing else.. the tool tapped the runner and dented it

guess 3:you looked at it funny and/or said somthing about another car being better.