Hi,

The saga continues on my 86 wagon that's been sitting for many years. Just did the timing and drive belts and after I finished the car starts dipping at idle from 800 to maybe 4 or 500 rpm for a second or two then goes back to normal. A few seconds later it does it again and that's how it runs now, almost dying when the rpms drop if I'm not careful. Seems to drive okay. Manifold vacuum dips regularly with the rpm drop which is supposed to be a sticky/burned valve according to my vacuum gauge manual? Also the dollar bill at the exhaust tip gets sucked in and blown out rapidly. Checked the timing marks re the timing belt and it is fine. Can't find any vacuum leaks. It didn't do this before I did the timing belt. I am an amateur at this but I am facing the thought that since I used the "rope trick" (putting some rope in cylinder #1 to stop engine rotation to get the crank pulley bolt off) for the timing belt job that I bent one of the valves using a foot more rope than was recommended (timing mark on crank was about 20 degrees or less plus or minus the zero mark as I tightened and loosened the bolt). Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Would a compression check help nail down if it is indeed a damaged valve?

Thanks,

Mike