Cascade Crew

redlava · Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 7:21 pm Post subject: Are my rings bad? not thirdgen

I have a 94 ranger with a 3.0 v6. I was out four wheeling and got into some mud/water a month ago. The engine got some water into and possibly past the air filter. Last weekend I got around the changing the oil and noticed it has been burning a lot more oil than usual (little to none). The engine just used about half a quart for a hour and 15 minute drive.

When you are idling in the drive way there is light smoke when the engine is rev'd up to 3k rpm for several seconds. When the engine is driven hard from a stop there is no visible smoke. However if the engine is lugged/hear the valve spring rattle there is a plume of smoke.

I checked the compression when the engine was cold and got 125-140 psi. Once again cold, I checked the pressures only this time I squirted oil into the cylinder and got 135-155. Most of the pressures increase of 10-15 psi, except for the one cylinder that got two squirts of oil increased 25 psi.

I was thinking this could possibly be a head gasket? Any other ideas?

Thanks for the help

kurfbird · Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 7:33 pm Post subject: Compression readings

If you squit oil and got increased reading compressions then your rings are going out. Not sure if the reading are enough to worry about though.

Dv8 · Member Joined: 05 Mar 2010 Posts: 108 Location: Ruston WA

What kurfbird said. I'd give it a sea foam treatment and try and loosen up the rings. Could be carbon

.02

redlava · Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 4:45 am Post subject:

I will give the seaform a try. I already have some just sitting on the shelf. Just put it in the gas tank right?

Dv8 · Member Joined: 05 Mar 2010 Posts: 108 Location: Ruston WA

Ther are a few posts on TGO about seafoam. yes you can put it in your gas tank. To really clean the valves and cylinders you need to run some directly through your manifold. The best way is to pour some in the big vacuum line from your master brake cylinder while your car is running. it will smoke alot and try and die but keep slowly pouring it in. about a half can worth. take the other half and pour it in your oil and let it idle for a few then change oil right away. this will clean the carbon varnish and sludge up as well

redlava · Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 4:50 am Post subject:

I put some in the oil, gas and intake last night. I put it in the manifold with the egr valve vac line. I turned up the idle so that it wouldnt die. The engine just sped up when i was dumping it in (probably sealing the vac leak). Did I not dump it in fast enough? There was only a little smoke compared to youtube vids.

Alphius · Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 6:52 am Post subject:

Here's my procedure:

1/3 in the gas tank when the tank is below 1/4
1/3 in the oil then change it within 100 miles
1/3 sucked into the biggest vac line on the motor (usually brake booster). Pour it in fast, the motor should stumble and need some throttle to keep running, as soon as you have the whole can poured in, kill the motor as fast as possible, preferably flooding it out with the seafoam to kill it. Put the vac line back on, and let the car sit off for 5-10 minutes. Start it up, rev it a few times, and immediately drive around until it stops smoking, using several full throttle full RPM sweeps (like getting on the freeway in second).

I usually skip the oil and do half in the gas tank and half down the intake. Most of my cars have really clean oil and I change it often, so I don't see a need for that step all the time.

DBL_TKE · Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 11:16 am Post subject:

Alphius · Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 5:43 pm Post subject:

redlava · Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 5:52 pm Post subject:

I just changed the plugs, wires, cap and rotor during this whole debacle hoping to make a difference. I am going to drive it for a bit hoping adding to the gas/oil can make a difference. Also noticing the large clouds of smoke have seemed to lessen down, but were still smoking some. I have to drive the truck a little more to be sure.