I think a piece of the rubber grommet came off the ait and got sucked into the intake and made it to a cylinder...feels like im on 7 cylinders and there is a really loud clicking noise that increases with engine speed. Being rubber will it eventually burn away or am I screwed?

 

Are you sure it's only rubber? I would pull the head and check the pistons.

 

it would have probably got stuck in an intake valve wouldn't it?

 

Rubber is the only thing it could be and I can't pull the head. She's my daily driver

 

If you are down to 7 cylinders and and you have unknown piston impact, you run the risk of destroying the engine if you don't pull the head.

 

With a piece of rubber grommet? I have driven it about 30 miles so far...

 

If it gets trapped in the valve, locking the valve open, the piston will smack it. You will get a clicking sound that will get worse with RPMs. That could be a valve and piston destroying each other. If you value your engine, pull the head.

 

I posted this a while back, but as many of you know I used to own a Tacoma and belonged to Tacoma truck clubs. A while back a friend of mine had his engine destroyed by a piece of an aftermarket air filter failing.
http://www.customtacos.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=128051

 

I don't doubt you. I just have to have a professional do it..lol...

 

Something like his you don't want to mess around with. I cringe because I give people advice all the time and they don't listen and tear things up. Just ask Travis(Trucky), Thunder(Winston) or Hendrix(Sean).

Look at what we know.

1. Something has been sucked into the intake and is probably stuck in the head (we suspect grommet at the moment).
2. Something causing interference will piston impact usually resulting in a clicking sound or metal on metal.
3. Piston / valve interference will cause a loss of compression resulting in a loss of power.

I'm sorry to say brother, the head has to come off. Everything else is a gamble.