Burning oil bad on a fresh rebuild...

[KIRIEIW]

VR head gasket is notoriously bad. in for the story.

A VR head gasket wouldn't give numbers this bad regardless. No problems with mine, 30,000 miles.

[JIMBOkye]

Anyone have a head gasket recommendation?

Anyway, update. New compression tester and leak down tester came!

I did two sets of tests for each cylinder (t1, t2).

Order of tests: compression t1, leak down t1, leak down t2, compression t2 (started with a hot engine, by the end it had cooled down significantly)

Here are my results:

Compression (PSIG):
C1:
t1: 165
t2: 165

C2:
t1: 170
t2 165

C3:
t1: 156
t2: 155

C4:
t1: 168
t2: 172

C5:
t1: 145
t2: 135

C5:
t1: 159
t2: 170

Leak Down (% leakage):

C1:
t1: 5
t2: 3

C2:
t1: 1
t2: 1

C3:
t1: 4
t2: 11

C4:
t1: 3
t2: 8

C5:
t1: 22
t2: 48...

C6:
t1: 26
t2: 29


On each test I heard the vast majority of air escaping from the crank case.. I heard none from the valves. so blow by the pistons, though you can't see into the radiator so maybe head gasket is a factor as well, but pretty safe bet that cylinders 3, 5 and 6 got bad rings... agreed?

Any other suggestions before I start pulling the engine?

[E30-325iS]

Did you gap the rings correctly?

[ahlem]

Any oil dripping from anywhere? Your plugs would show something if you were using a quart in 150 miles. How did you determine TDC for each piston when you were doing your leak down test? Where were you listening to know the crank case was where the leaking was coming from? Try loosening up the clearance on your valves and do another leak down test but don't run the car until you re-adjust them. I used a Victor Reinz gasket successfully when I used the spray gasket sealer. I was un successful when I didn't use the sealer.

[ForcedFirebird]

Seeing that your leak-down matches the compression (you forgot #6 compression numbers), and you heard the air escaping from the crank case, it's fairly certain you have ring sealing issues.

[ForcedFirebird]

How did you determine TDC for each piston when you were doing your leak down test?

If you don't have the piston at TDC, the air from the leak down tester will push the piston back down in the bore, causing air to escape from the valves.

[JIMBOkye]

Seeing that your leak-down matches the compression (you forgot #6 compression numbers), and you heard the air escaping from the crank case, it's fairly certain you have ring sealing issues.

oops..

C6
t1: 159
t2: 170

To do the leak down test i put each cylinder at TDC individually (looked for when both cams were pointed as far down as possible away from rockers)

I got my friend to hold the crank with a wrench so it wouldn't move because it was turning when I put pressure into the cylinders.

The air was escaping out of the many ports you can see in the head that go down into the cylinders.

[JIMBOkye]

Any oil dripping from anywhere? Your plugs would show something if you were using a quart in 150 miles. How did you determine TDC for each piston when you were doing your leak down test? Where were you listening to know the crank case was where the leaking was coming from? Try loosening up the clearance on your valves and do another leak down test but don't run the car until you re-adjust them. I used a Victor Reinz gasket successfully when I used the spray gasket sealer. I was un successful when I didn't use the sealer.

I did not use any sealer on my head gasket.

There is a small oil drip from the pan plug, other than that nothing significant.

From my first post, there was significant oil fouling on some of the plugs.

[JIMBOkye]

Did you gap the rings correctly?

I thought I clocked them and gapped them correctly, but it is looking like I could have messed that up.

I used Deves Piston Rings from Pelican Parts. Part number: DV-2297

[whodwho]

Depending on the ring set and how they maybe beveled on the back side(typically the 2nd ring) there is a top and bottom and I could see getting those switched up.

[Cabriolet]

I used a Victor reins.

here is the issue.


the headbolts and or gasket failed on you. it's happened to 90% of the people to use their stuff.
get only BMW bolts or ARP studs.
use either the BMW or goetze head gaskets.

you might have to have the head re-decked

[ForcedFirebird]

oops..

C6
t1: 159
t2: 170

To do the leak down test i put each cylinder at TDC individually (looked for when both cams were pointed as far down as possible away from rockers)

I got my friend to hold the crank with a wrench so it wouldn't move because it was turning when I put pressure into the cylinders.

The air was escaping out of the many ports you can see in the head that go down into the cylinders.

If the pistons was trying to go down, you were not at TDC. I usually shift the crank bolt back and forth with an extension in the spark plug hole. You should be able to put a lot of pressure in without movement at TDC. Dont go by the cam, have to probe the actual piston height.

Depending on the ring set and how they maybe beveled on the back side(typically the 2nd ring) there is a top and bottom and I could see getting those switched up.

It's actually amazing how sensitive they are. It's really cool to utilize gas porting and gapless rings.

here is the issue.


the headbolts and or gasket failed on you. it's happened to 90% of the people to use their stuff.
get only BMW bolts or ARP studs.
use either the BMW or goetze head gaskets.

you might have to have the head re-decked

I have always used VR head bolts and never had an issue with them, nor the head gasket failing in the chamber (or mixing coolant), BUT I have had two of them leak oil externally and had to redo a head job on my dime. Elring is marginally better than VR as far as the head gasket goes, OEM or Goetze is my say. BTW Felpro is VR, both Federal Mogul companies.

[TobyB]

the headbolts and or gasket failed on you

not with those leakdown numbers. I'm with John- the rings didn't seal.
Deves have worked well for me the couple of times I've used them for
re- ring jobs...

It's time for the auto- autopsy, sadly...

t

[Old city bimmer]

+1 on the rings

[JIMBOkye]

SO. I got the head off tonight, and the head gasket does have one... anomaly. I'll post pictures tomorrow.

I'll try to get an engine hoist to pull the block, but it might take me a couple weeks to get one, unfortunately.

I was also surprised to see how badly the engine paint I used held up on the block...