jearhart

So I have a head gasket replacement in my future and I have read on here that this is a good time to replace the piston rings.

First off, how do I know whether this is something that I should do? It seems like a good bit of extra work and money so I would prefer not doing it unless its something that really needs to be done. I don't have a compression tester but even that would not be reliable given the leaking HG. I don't use much oil, maybe 1/2 qt every 5k.

The next question I have is how do you go about doing this with the engine in the car. I would assume that you pull the oil pan and remove the pistons out the top. However during this time in the HG replacement there is an engine mount removed and a jack on the oil pan supporting the engine. So do you just let the engine hang on the remaining mounts or is there another location that you put the jack to allow oil pan removal.

Last question I have is are there any specialty tools needed for this that I wouldn't have, I assume you need a ring compressor but is there anything else? Maybe those little crayon things (cant remember the name) used to check bearing clearance?

RobertD

First- 1/2 quart per 5k miles is excellent. you should leave it alone.
i knew my rings were shot when i was adding a quart with every fuel up, my oil smelled like gas, and i was shooting the dipstick out the tube under boost. makes a spectacular smoke screen when the oil spray hits the header

The Next- if you are planning to do rings half *** with the engine in the car, you should plan not to do it. if you're lazy enough to try that you're very likely too lazy to clean stuff well enough, and too lazy to lie under the car torquing bolts properly with oil dripping in your face. it's more work than just being civilized and doing it on a stand. you also won't need plastigage as i can't imagine trying to use it accurately upside down.

your description sounds like your rings are above average. recommend you leave it alone

RobertD

if you feel like playing with more engine parts than just the head gasket, change the valve stem seals. your 1/2 quart per 5k might only be 1/4 quart afterwards (:

Slumpertcivic