Hot Rods Banger ain't broke, but I found somethin' weird !

So, I pull the intake and exhaust off the four banger to install some new spiffy parts.
The car ran fine and didn't smoke at all when I parked her.
As I take the manifolds off, I see a chunk of shiny metal in the exhaust port hole, and another shiny chunk hits the garage floor.
These are the two pieces. I didn't clean them, this is how they fell out.

So I peek inside and I see nothing wrong, except that in one of the exhaust ports (the one the chunks were in), has a small sprung loaded piece that sits high on the rod, the other three do not have this. I hand spun the motor, all looked okay, everything is snug, I pulled the side cover and found no shavings, pieces or unwanted chunks of metal.



SOOOO, whats my next move?
I don't want to use the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" line,
I'd like to know what it is and why it was there before I button it all back up.
Thanks for any ideas and help you can give.
Kenny P

 

Looks like bits of the valve guide from the port to the left of the picture.

 

I agree, valve guides are two piece. Bob

 

Check inside the combustion chamber if you have one of those flexible scopes, similar to a borescope. I would do a compression check also, may have valve/seat damage.

 

You'll have to pull the head and put a new valve guide in.