Changing oil rings advice
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Pro
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 628
Likes: 5
Changing oil rings advice
I have a supercharged, all forged 383 LT-1 with LT-4 heads. The thing consumes oil at about 1qt per 200 miles (has done this for years, even before I bought it).
After much troubleshooting we concluded it is internal, and the PO believes that it was built in 96 with low tension oil rings.
So.. my winter project is to replace the rings. I can turn a wrench (I replaced the head gaskets earlier this year), and my budget is variable. If I have the money I am going to pull the engine and get it re-honed and re-ringed professionally. If I have a lower budget (likely), I am planning to just pull each piston and put new rings in per the FSM.
What do you all say - go with the professional approach, or is it fairly 'safe' just to unbolt everything, replace rings, and zip her all back up again?
Thanks for any advice!
After much troubleshooting we concluded it is internal, and the PO believes that it was built in 96 with low tension oil rings.
So.. my winter project is to replace the rings. I can turn a wrench (I replaced the head gaskets earlier this year), and my budget is variable. If I have the money I am going to pull the engine and get it re-honed and re-ringed professionally. If I have a lower budget (likely), I am planning to just pull each piston and put new rings in per the FSM.
What do you all say - go with the professional approach, or is it fairly 'safe' just to unbolt everything, replace rings, and zip her all back up again?
Thanks for any advice!
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 5,866
Likes: 60
From: Hellinois
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Modified
I do all my own engine assembly so here is what I would do. Pull the heads and have a good machine shop drop by and check the bores with a micrometer, if the bores are worn you won't gain a thing by installing new rings. If the bores meet specs then I would hone them and install the new rings
