smoking problems help help help

Before rebuilding, I would really look at the PCV - or see if you have excessive crankcase pressure - now it is not really hard to believe that you need a re-ring, if trying to be as cheap as possible (and we all are) you can just do the rings and I would do the timing belt (because you have to take off and because it's $20)

As long a when you take it apart, you don't mess anything up (or mix it up) and the bearings look good, you can get away with re-using them.

You'll still need (and want) a full gasket set and (in case Mrs. Cusser's old man didn't make it clear) make sure you throw out the pan gasket if your kit comes with it and use ultra grey.

Ok...thanks for the tip. Im in the process right now of pulling the head...once I get it apart ill access what I need and take it from there.

Looks like some one forgot to take the casserole out of the oven.

Now....just a random thought but...

All four pistons look like the one pictured above. If a ring took a shit on me why would all 4 have the same thing going on with them? I mean they all have shit caked on them....in the same amounts.

The head has some but that can be easily cleaned off.

Weird, my post about this didn't show up. I'll try to re-type it in a bit.

Most likely the oil control rings on all pistons have lost their springiness due to heat and age and you'll soon find that they will not expand past the edge of the pistons.

New piston and rings v. old piston. Again note that oil control ring is not out any further than the piston on the old


Oil rings stuck in piston groove, source of oil getting into and/or staying in cylinder

I have a guy that may want my truck in trade for another one that runs....so my problem may just fix itself.

Im going to go pull the other three pistons and see what I find.

Push come to shove can I get away with just doing the rings?

My guess is that all four will look similar. Earl has cleaned up and re-used pistons several times; that means cleaning the ring grooves, either with a piece of old ring, or a loaner ring groove cleaner tool. New rings and new head gasket.

My post that didn't show up basically said that you can re-ring the motor without doing a full rebuild (which makes sense for some of these trucks that are not really worth spending tons on)

If you have a motor where there are no knocks of other defects then just new rings can work fine - just make sure your bearings look good and you don't mix up anything.

Soaking the pistons in combustion chamber cleaner for a few days really works, and you can ball hone the cylinders right in the truck.

Actually back in the day, I remember taking apart motors with fairly low miles but had carbon buildup due to shitty fuel and/or not revving enough and the oil control rings were stuck - if they still had good ring tension then we'd throw the piston/rod assy. in the parts washer for a couple hours and the rings would clean right up - then just put the motor back together and voila!