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From: rosberg@ihuxi.UUCP (Rosberg)
Newsgroups: net.auto.tech
Subject: Performing a ring job at home
Message-ID: <1278@ihuxi.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 5-Nov-85 10:31:19 EST
Article-I.D.: ihuxi.1278
Posted: Tue Nov  5 10:31:19 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 7-Nov-85 04:26:08 EST
Distribution: net
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 37

*Sorry...I lost the original posting from the person who thinks he needs
to replace the rings in his engine, so I'll post it and hope he sees it.
Apologees to those who are bored with this drivel.

Are you sure it is the rings that are failing, and not the valve guides?

If your exhaust puffs mostly (or only) when shifting, I assume you mean
when the rpms are falling. If this is, in fact, the case, I would suspect
the valve guides. The reason is that, when the rpms are falling (going down),
the vacuum generated in the cylinders will have a tendency to pull oil down
from the head (through the valve guides).

(OK, I know it's a low pressure zone, and not a vacuum...no flames please).

Before purchasing tools and/or parts, I would suggest you perform a 
compression check. You'll need a compression tester (a hose that generally
screws into a sparkplug hole with a dial to register the pounds per square
inch generated by the rising piston within the cylinder.

Follow the instructions for using your tester (keep in mind that the closer
to normal operating temperature the engine is, the closer to reality your
readings will be). 

First, check the reading for all the cylinders (write them down, note any
large changes between cylinders). Then, pour a teaspoon or so of engine oil
through the sparkplug hole, and re-test the cylinder. If the reading goes up,
your rings are shot (the oil helps seal the piston ring-cylinder wall 
interface).

If the reading stays about the same, it the valve guides, and/or the associated
oil seals. Replacing guides is generally something best left to machine shops
and the like...it is very easy to turn a head into an expensive door-stop.

Good luck.

John Rosberg
!ihuxi!rosberg