So I got the tool I needed to continue my HG repair.
Pulled off the dust shield under the manifold and this is what I found. See the attachment.
It is a 3/4" ratcheting Gearmaster wrench.
EDIT: I removed where I though the wrench had busted the casting of the block, ends up it looks just like it should.
BUT I FOUND A XXXXXXX WRENCH IN MY MOTOR!!!
I took pics thru the process of the head removal, got another thread coming soon, I think I am on the upswing now.

 

Well that sucks..........

 

This is why during surgery in an operating room ever surgical tool, sponge and supply is accounted for before they close the patient up!

 

Put it back together, without the wrench.
Drive it while you figure out what you want to do, either buy a used engine or sell the truck with a bad engine.
Then drive it until it blows, if you buy a used engine rebuild it first.

Here is what I would do, buy a used engine, send it out to get rebuilt and in the mean time run only regular grade gas, dollar store motor oil and not even bother with oil changes, oh, and I'd run straight water in the cooling system since if it not going to get below freezing before I replaced the engine.

 

At least you got a free wrench

 

Exactly what I thought of. Surgeons do it every now and then to a human body. So its no stretch to find a wrench left in an engine.
Sorry for your luck.

 

Well, run 20W50 and Lucas while you decide what to do. See RANGE ROVER WORLD South Africa for pix of other engine fun. But note this pix, which shows "vent" slots all along the cam shaft, so maybe from an oil circulation point this is not such an issue. The posting shop says they'll have it looking new, and did not mention anything about those slots.

Another pix from the RPI website, they tell you not to paint them like this guy did, but again, there are the slots.

If the metal was hammered out by the wrench (I don't know about that, dropping a wrench doesn't crank the engine, so bouncing from 1/4 inch away can't generate much force); you would expect metal particle contamination of the bearing surfaces in all kinds of places. Oil PSI test would be a good idea.

Might want to analyze the gunk you believe to be metal. Take it and soak it in a stong solvent, and see if it dissolves. Could be gunk and not aluminum.

It may take a while to kill this beast. Buying an engine and rebuilding it as time and funds permit is great if you have the place to work on it.

 

Add this to the "chasing mysterious Disco engine ticking noise" post.

 

I do believe the motor is ok, I did inspect the metal and it was magnetic. Ends up being part of the head gasket that was toasted on cylinders 4 and 6. Also discovered a leak between the water jacket and cylinder 7, #7 was obviously cleaner(proves the steam clean methold is viable). The other 7 cylinders were matching carbon black.

I like the idea to add this to the mystery ticking noise thread, at least the picture.

My brain is better, I thought all that was damage, but looking at the pics I am all good. Gotta check the push rods for straight, wrench coulda got one of them.

 

I could be wrong but is't the casting not consistent through the block above where the cam is? I could have sworn when doing my head gasket repair the cam was visible with the lower intake manifold/valley gasket off?