Violent Sound from Valve Cover Area (2003 Protege5)

[BananaP5]

Hello,

Recently purchased a 2003 P5 manual with 115k miles. Two days ago driving in the rain I heard a violent ping and clanking noise coming from the engine while accelerating.
I pulled over immediately and let the car idle while I listened. I could hear every so often what sounded like a ball bearing getting flung around between the valve cover and the head.
I have researched the VTCS (VICS?) butterfly valve issue and am wondering if this is the same experience others have had. I haven't read about people actually diagnosing and hearing this sound. I also have a code P0661, "Intake manifold tuning valve control circuit low". Thise evidence leads me to believe one of the screws holding the butterflys let go and bounced into the combustion chamber.
If anyone has thoughts on this please let me know. Next step is gonna be to tear into the manifold to see whats going on.

 

[BananaP5]

Hello,

Recently purchased a 2003 P5 manual with 115k miles. Two days ago driving in the rain I heard a violent ping and clanking noise coming from the engine while accelerating.
I pulled over immediately and let the car idle while I listened. I could hear every so often what sounded like a ball bearing getting flung around between the valve cover and the head.
I have researched the VTCS (VICS?) butterfly valve issue and am wondering if this is the same experience others have had. I haven't read about people actually diagnosing and hearing this sound. I also have a code P0661, "Intake manifold tuning valve control circuit low". Thise evidence leads me to believe one of the screws holding the butterflys let go and bounced into the combustion chamber.
If anyone has thoughts on this please let me know. Next step is gonna be to tear into the manifold to see whats going on.

Okay team! After dissassembling the intake manifold, all four VICS butterfly plates were disconnected from the bar. 5/8 screws are still attached to the mounting bar and I found what I believe to be the remnants of one screw on top of cylinder four that I was able to fish out through the spark plug hole. This must be where the noise was coming from...

So from here my questions would be:

Where the heck do I find replacement plates and screws, can't seem to find them anywhere.
AND does anyone in Cali have issues passing smog after removing their VTCS system.

I would appreciate any help from someone who went through this before.

 

[LankyKiwi]

I can't speak for the smog requirements, although removing the VICS was a fairly common mod back in the day

The little bolts should be a metric fine pitch thread, possibly a M3 or M4. You miiiiiight have luck at your local mazda dealer, otherwise it might be time to hit the scrap yards

Fingers crossed that was as far as the little screw went and there's no other deeper damage

 

[MuffinMan06]

Rent a borescope to check the cylinders for damage. VTCS was designed to head up the first catalytic converter on startup, and it opens up once warm. VICS changes the intake runner length. So long as the car is warmed up when you do a smog test, it should be fine.