check valve in 2.3 dohc?

anyone know about a check valve or something in a quad four that holds oil in top end of engine and if it can get stuck or plugged?

I believe there is one in the head. I recently put a new head on my 2.3L and noticed what looked like a steel marble in one of the oil or coolant holes in the heal and didn't really know what it was.

i just found on the internet that there is a check valve in the block on the front right side if you have the original you should have changed it to a newer one because they just like alot of other things about the quad four have problems... with either getting stuck open or shut if it's stuck open the top end of engine will have a dry start if stuck closed it won't let oil into top portion of engine

Ya, I guess it wasn't in the head but rather in the block. Maybe I should have replaced it, but I'm not tearing it apart again for that :) The next time anything major fails on this car will be the end. The car is 12 years old and nothing special.