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Is there a sure fire way to tell if your piston rings are bad?

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Old 09-17-2005, 01:41 PM
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mike93eh
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Default Is there a sure fire way to tell if your piston rings are bad?

Is there a sure fire way to tell if your piston rings are bad? both your compression rings and mainly the oil rings?
Old 09-17-2005, 02:07 PM
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compression + leakdown test i think
Old 09-17-2005, 02:10 PM
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Default Re: (AbitAvenger)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by AbitAvenger &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">compression + leakdown test i think</TD></TR></TABLE>

I dont think you can rule out or only test the oil rings. Its all or nothing.
Old 09-17-2005, 02:13 PM
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well my car burns some oil pretty badly. compression is ~180 psi in all 4 cylinders and did a leakdown test and its good. everything is pretty much brand new....from the valves, valve stem seals, oil pump, gaskets everywhere all new.

both my crx and civic burn oil, i just dont get how they could be burning oil since everything is new.
Old 09-17-2005, 03:20 PM
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Default Re: (mike93eh)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mike93eh &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> everything is pretty much brand new....from the valves, valve stem seals, oil pump, gaskets everywhere all new.
</TD></TR></TABLE>
Does it have new piston rings? If not the oil rings could be gummed up, wont show on comp. or leakdown.
Old 09-17-2005, 03:27 PM
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Default Re: (Chiovnidca)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Chiovnidca &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Does it have new piston rings? If not the oil rings could be gummed up, wont show on comp. or leakdown.</TD></TR></TABLE>

no new rings. but i was told the engine has ~40,000 miles on it. and what are the actual odds of oil rings going out and not compression rings?
Old 09-17-2005, 04:05 PM
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Default Re: Is there a sure fire way to tell if your piston rings are bad? (mike93eh)

well was the motor setting for a long time??? oil sometimes get really sticky and what not.. then rings start to stick... have really really bad taper on your walls of your cylinder.. doesnt show till the pistons are sliding up and down..
Old 09-17-2005, 04:09 PM
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whats taper?

the motor hasnt sat for very long...
Old 09-17-2005, 04:12 PM
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Default Re: (mike93eh)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mike93eh &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">no new rings. but i was told the engine has ~40,000 miles on it. and what are the actual odds of oil rings going out and not compression rings?</TD></TR></TABLE>
Depends on how well the engine was taken care of. If it was mine and I ruled out all other possibilities, id treat it with some gm top engine cleaner. (that stuff frees up stuck oil rings in no time)
Old 09-17-2005, 04:26 PM
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Default Re: (Chiovnidca)

I've heard oil blowing out the exhaust when you push the car hard and shift is a sign of blown rings.

What is the difference between piston rings and oil rings?

Piston rings I assume go around the piston. Where are the oil rings located?
Old 09-17-2005, 04:53 PM
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<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nota-eg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

What is the difference between piston rings and oil rings?

Piston rings I assume go around the piston. Where are the oil rings located?</TD></TR></TABLE>
You have three groves on your pistons. The top 2 seal the compression gasses from getting inside the crankcase. The third is to keep the oil in the crankcase from getting into the combustion chamber
Old 09-17-2005, 07:02 PM
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Default Re: (Chiovnidca)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Chiovnidca &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Depends on how well the engine was taken care of. If it was mine and I ruled out all other possibilities, id treat it with some gm top engine cleaner. (that stuff frees up stuck oil rings in no time)</TD></TR></TABLE>

where do i get this gm top engine cleaner? only available at gm dealer? what about seafoam?
Old 09-17-2005, 07:05 PM
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well on my civic i just shoot out some black smoke when i really get on it but thats because im running rich. but the oil doesnt leak externally and im losing oil so it has to be burning it.

now on my crx it is burning oil pretty bad. blows out blue smoke. it has the same **** as the civic....good compression, no leaks, new seals and gaskets everywhere...
Old 09-17-2005, 07:44 PM
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Default Re: (mike93eh)

my jdm z6 burns oil only if I drive it hard, but Ive noticed when I granny drive for a month or so it does not burn any at all. I think most honda d,b series motors use a little oil no matter the condition of the oil control rings.
Old 09-17-2005, 07:48 PM
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Default Re: (dorkoftheyear)

compression leakdown test good luck
Old 09-17-2005, 07:51 PM
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<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by teamvirus &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">compression leakdown test good luck</TD></TR></TABLE>
already said i did one and it did great. no leaks.
Old 09-17-2005, 09:20 PM
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Default Re: (mike93eh)

I wouldn't worry about the engine sitting for a long time and the oil rings being "stuck". The heat and movement would free them up in two strokes. The fresh oil will clean them so don't worry about it. I bought an engine that was prolly sitting for a good year or two and it's fine. Now you have to start looking into other things that are letting oil in. Are you sure the new valve seals where installed properly? Have you pulled the spark plugs to see if they are covered in oil? Take a look at the piston head while the spark plugs are out. Are they covered in oil around the edge's? All engines loose oil, because it evaporates, go's into the pcv catch can, etc. If you have an engine that has vtec, you will have to add oil every so often. This is because vtec uses oil and oil pressure and it's just the way it is. A perfectly health vtec engine will use oil and does need to be topped off ever 2-3 weeks (depends on how much you use vtec). I use vtec at least 7-20 times a day and I just give it a very little bit of oil every 2 weeks (prolly amount to a table spoon of oil).
Old 09-17-2005, 09:26 PM
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Default Re: Is there a sure fire way to tell if your piston rings are bad? (mike93eh)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mike93eh &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Is there a sure fire way to tell if your piston rings are bad? both your compression rings and mainly the oil rings?</TD></TR></TABLE>

What color is your smoke?
Old 09-17-2005, 09:27 PM
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u said the piston rings were new, did u installed them if so did you make sure that the ring's opening warent fasing the piston thrust sides
Old 09-18-2005, 11:14 AM
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Default Re: (o5mar1)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by o5mar1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">u said the piston rings were new, did u installed them if so did you make sure that the ring's opening warent fasing the piston thrust sides</TD></TR></TABLE>


no the piston rings arent new...

the smoke on my civic is blackish grey because im running rich but its also burning oil because im losing quite a bit of it. on my crx it is straight blue smoke.
Old 09-18-2005, 12:19 PM
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Default Re: (mike93eh)

My EG smoked like a chimney when I first got it.... 1 to 3 broken rings I'm guessing.... 2 quarts of oil a week. Finally the anemic lil D15 blew up and I went to bigger and better things :D It does sound to me like you have a broken ring or similar, the blackish gray smoke will really cover up any oil smoke that may be present, or at least that was my case. It's not very difficult to pull the head and oilpan so that you could visually check / replace the rings. If you plan on sticking with the motor you have for a long while and money isn't a huge concern I'd say replace the rings, head gasket, timing belt, and water pump, and have the head checked and maybe replace the valve seat seals while your tore down. Then you'll have replaced most of your big problem causers. This is just my personal opinion, and what do I know? LOL
Old 09-18-2005, 12:23 PM
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Default Re: (LSPoweredEG)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by LSPoweredEG &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">My EG smoked like a chimney when I first got it.... 1 to 3 broken rings I'm guessing.... 2 quarts of oil a week. Finally the anemic lil D15 blew up and I went to bigger and better things :D It does sound to me like you have a broken ring or similar, the blackish gray smoke will really cover up any oil smoke that may be present, or at least that was my case. It's not very difficult to pull the head and oilpan so that you could visually check / replace the rings. If you plan on sticking with the motor you have for a long while and money isn't a huge concern I'd say replace the rings, head gasket, timing belt, and water pump, and have the head checked and maybe replace the valve seat seals while your tore down. Then you'll have replaced most of your big problem causers. This is just my personal opinion, and what do I know? LOL</TD></TR></TABLE>

i have visually inspected the rings when i had the head and pan off and they look fine. i have already replaced the valve stem seals...money isnt the problem, the time and work is.
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