honda_civic1993

Hello, I have a '93 Civic Dx that has either bad or stuck piston rings. I did a compression test and the first 2 cylinders have about half the compression they should and the other 2 are pretty close to spec. (I dont remember the exact numbers as I did the test some time ago.) I know it's the rings because I put some oil in the sparkplug hole and tested it agin and it came right up to the others. Anyway This was an old persons car previously and only has 97000 miles on it! How could they have gone bad already? Someone has suggested to me that it may just be carbon buildup. Sorry, I dont know a whole lot about this. Do you guys think possibly that using some sort of engine flush or seafoam would help get them going again or am I looking at a teardown?

Thanks in advance for any input.

strategy400

Run synthetic oil for a while that'll clean it up inside.

98civdx

Drip some oil in the 2, re test, post back.

Just becuase an old person had, doesn't mean they maintained it.

honda_civic1993

As I said in my first post that I did that and it brought the 2 weak cylinders up to the others, close to spec that is. If I get a chance I will do it again soon and post the actual results.

98civdx

****. Not sure how I missed that.
Were you on a warm engine, and WOT?
just checking.

Anyways, what were the numbers?

apexi_rsx

the rings are shot and they need to be replaced. its not very hard to do. its best to re hone it a little bit and throw new rings in all 4 while the heads off and out. u don't need to take the crank out just the top half of the rod and piston and replace the rings gapped correctly. or just replace the two if u want but i would make it equal all the way across,and when u buy rings u will get all 4 you can not just buy 2.

honda_civic1993

Sorry if this is a stupid question but, can this be done with the motor in the car or does it have to be pulled?

honda_civic1993

Yes engine was warm and WOT. I dont remember exactly as it was some time ago, as I said in the first post also. lol If I get a chance I will check them again soon.

98civdx

it can be done in the car, but it really should be pulled.

There ins't that much more more keeping it in there once the head is off.