Do I need new rings?

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

I changed my oil today at a tech session. My case magnetic drain plug had some very fine fuzz on it. When I showed it to the guys, one of them rubbed it between his fingers and it looked silvery. The oil smelled very slightly of gasoline and the consensus was it's blow-by. I haven't had a compression test, but leakdown numbers 10k miles ago were fine. My P-car gets decent mileage and uses about 1 qt. of oil per 1000 miles. I don't think I have an immediate problem on my hands. But does this sound like I need new rings? How long might I be able to go before I have to do this? It's an '87 Carrera with 81k miles. Thanks.

kepperly · kepperly's Garage

do you drive your car infrequently and for short durations? after one has set for a while all the lubricants on the rings have returned to the sump, so when you first start it there is minor wear. if it is very fine fuzz, blow it off and drive it more frequently
to keep the engine oiled. jmho! my 87 slant nose cab has 79k
on it and uses about the same amount of oil but doesn,t smoke and runs perfect, and yes during an oil change i do find minor furr
on the drain plug. don,t worry so much, have fun, your motor will tell you when it ready!
keith

Bill Douglas · 04-27-2002, 02:51 PM

Richard, you are imagining things. Don't worry. That puppy will be good for many years before it needs any work

Bill '79SC

kepperly · kepperly's Garage

richard sorry i didn,t even look who posted, check is in the mail for the clutch slave!
thanks
keith

DRV · 04-27-2002, 02:55 PM

A compression test will give you a better idea. As I was told by a Porsche machine shop, "wait until it smokes or makes noise". Maybe a oil analysis will verify the presence of fuel, you can get kits from www.amsoil.com. One kit will catch oil as you dump it for a change, another type has a pump so you can check it many times till the next change.
Dennis Varney

APKhaos · 04-27-2002, 04:02 PM

Richard,
Just drive that puppy! When oil consumption gets up to 1Qt/300 miles or you cant back up through the smoke screen THEN its time to call the doctor.

Engine rebuilds build character, but are only prescribed when the patient is really sick.

Nice run home through the beltway traffic today - your car sounds sweet, and not the slightest hint of smoke.
Regardz,

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Thanks guys. I've heard from several that my engine sounds good. But I haven't driven enough other 911's to know what sounds really bad. I'll be doing a valve adj. in June along with my clutch R&R. I'm a total hypochondriac with my 911. It really does drive well and does not smoke. So I was just checking.

Tony (APKhaos), you have a sweet ride - it looked and it sounded great too. Nice meeting you today. I got next to a Lamborghini VT on 66 coming home today. That was a lot of fun - but really no contest. I couldn't even hear my engine while I was next to him. I will do an oil analysis when I yank my engine in June. Photos and results shall be posted here.

Wayne 962 · Wayne 962's Garage

Run a compression check, or a leakdown test - everything else is watercooler talk. Most professional mechanics don't look at the grit under the engine and diagnose the problem immediately - they do a professional test.

Don't let people worry you - the easy compression check test will tell you yes or no. Also 1 qt per 1000 is not bad...

-Wayne