txclimber

Ok. I'm ready for the "told you so's", but I'd really like to hear something else. 305,000 miles on my 22re. Last year at 280k I rebuilt the top and front. Probably should have done the bottom too, but time and money prohibited me from complete rebuild. Put one of engnbldr's street rv heads and 268 cam up top and new t-chain etc. up front. Runs great. Still does. Only problem is I'm losing abou a quart of oil every 300 miles. No leaks. This just started a couple of months ago.

Compression check shows only 70, 90, 90, 60! How could it run so well with these numbers? Checked right after rebuild and 145 on all four. I rechecked my valve lash and everything checks out good. Where's my oil going? I have zero smoke coming out of the tail pipe, even on start up. Why is my compression test giving me such low numbers? Why does it run better than it ever has?

No oil in radiator. No coolant in oil.

sam333

You can burn that much and never see it( espeacialy with a good CAT). With that many miles on the bottom end and a new head, its got to be your rings.
Are you sure your compression tester is acurate?

txclimber

Hmm. CAT only has 20k on it. I guess it's soaking up all my smoke.

I used two different compression testers b/c I just didn't believe those numbers. Both checked out the same. If those numbers are correct, how am I flying down the hwy at 85mph?

sb5walker

Does sound like rings, if compression is really that low. If there's a question about the compression numbers, could be the valve seals you installed are bad (assuming you did install new ones).

For the compression test, did you use these steps:

1. Warm up the motor to operating temp, then shut off.
2. Disconnect distributor connector.
3. Unplug the cold start injector.
4. Remove the plugs.
5. Attach the compression tester and have a helper crank the motor while holding gas pedal to the floor.
6. Watch the needle as it climbs with each compression stroke. Take the max reading, or the reading after a maximum of 8 compression strokes. Take the reading after the SAME number of compression strokes for all the other cyls.

If you still get low numbers, you can try pouring an ounce or so of engine oil into the cyls and retest. That should cut way down on any compression loss past the rings, so if numbers are still low you're looking at valves or head gasket for the compression loss. Or you could run a leakdown test to be sure, but you need a special two dial gauge and a good source of compressed air for that.

txclimber

New valves and seals with new head.

Yes. Used those steps exactly.

I'm pretty sure it's the rings too, just confused at how I'm getting so much power out of an engine with so little compression.

sb5walker

It'll run on 90, but it's hard to imagine that a 60 psi cylinder is firing.