How to check if your rings are going bad?
How to check if your rings are going bad? Without doing a leak down test is there any way to tell if your rings are going bad? I noticed that my catch can get filled pretty quick from blow by. The car seems to idle fine and drive ok. Is there any signs I should be looking for?
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,084
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From: Keller, Texas
its not a leak down test but it does require a compression tester;
1) perform a normal compression test
2) record numbers
3) put small amount of oil down the sparkplug hole
4) re-tast compression
if numbers are higher after oil is added your rings are most likely bad.
this may not work for you, but this is how you test rings on a motor that is not making compression.
1) perform a normal compression test
2) record numbers
3) put small amount of oil down the sparkplug hole
4) re-tast compression
if numbers are higher after oil is added your rings are most likely bad.
this may not work for you, but this is how you test rings on a motor that is not making compression.
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From: sneaking in your back door as you leave!/cartersville ga
leakdown test is the best way. you can buy a tester for around 60.00 or summit or jegs or you can make your own. do a search on google for homemade leakdown tester. it will be more accurate
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 320
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From: Nottingham, Notts, England, UK
Originally Posted by 3.4camaro
open the oil filler cap and put you hand over it while the engine is running. if you can feel air puffing at you, rings are bad. time for a forged 402!! 
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Originally Posted by 3.4camaro
open the oil filler cap and put you hand over it while the engine is running. if you can feel air puffing at you, rings are bad. time for a forged 402!!
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Originally Posted by *98Formula*
This man is correct. Air is not going to be moving around inside the crankcase because it is under vacuum if the rings are good. If you have bad rings it will not create vacuum therefor it will allow the air to puff out the crankcase. Try this if you have suction your rings are okay. It won't be a lot of suction but you should feel your hand get some pull on it.
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 320
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From: Nottingham, Notts, England, UK
Hmm, this has got me thinking some more. If air doesn't move around in the crankcase then why did GM add windows to the crank webs to assist bottom end breathing?
Any vacuum would imply no air but there is air being drawn in there albeit in a vacuum state, in the same was as closing/opening the throttle. I'm not sure what to make of an engine that lightly moves air in and out of the filler cap now.
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Any vacuum would imply no air but there is air being drawn in there albeit in a vacuum state, in the same was as closing/opening the throttle. I'm not sure what to make of an engine that lightly moves air in and out of the filler cap now.
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Joined: Nov 2006
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Originally Posted by Boosted LS1
Surely that's just air moving around in the crankcase, lots of engines breath like this.
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