TheRealDirtyDan

Compression has been upped to 9:1
GSC S1 cams
Gsc beehive springs w/ titanium retainers
Viton valve seals
Mahle pistons

I burnt 1 quart in 500 miles. At first I thought it was a valve seal issue but now I’m thinking it’s the rings. It blows smoke on a cold start, and will go away while idling, but if I open the throttle while idling, it will then blow blue smoke again.

Did a compression test with the engine warm, throttle open, all spark plugs out

135
155
150
160

There seems to be caked up oil on the piston heads on all 4, and wet oil in cylinder 4.

Pcv valve is brand new, there was gunk build up in the turbo inlet so I installed a dual catch can setup yesterday. Very minimal shaft play on the turbo (I’m talking probably a mm, I can barely feel it twitching if I put some muscle into it side to side, no in and out play) no fresh oil in the LICP.

Any ideas?

Letsgetthisdone

Edit: videos I recorded yesterday
http://tinypic.com/r/30nabo5/9
http://tinypic.com/r/2hphimq/9

4b11slayer

Have you been taking it super easy on the engine?

Maybe the rings arent seated

TheRealDirtyDan

I ran off of wastegate spring and gave it boost pulls followed by engine braking / vacuum for 40 miles. Changed the oil and daily drove it 500 miles

4b11slayer

I would put more miles on it.

TheRealDirtyDan

I mean, I don’t think more than 500 miles are needed to seat the engine. I don’t see compression changing or oil consumption being reduced by continuing to drive it in this condition

4b11slayer

Then.
Leak down test and tear down.
Probably a ring issue.

LetsGetThisDone

iTrader: (1)

Sounds like the motor needs to come apart. Something is wrong. Your break in procedure should have netted excellent compression numbers (170psi+ in all 4), as long as the tune was ok. I would pull the head and go from there.

TheRealDirtyDan

I’ll be contacting the shop that built it and go from there then, thanks guys

Kevin Troy

I wouldn't take it apart just jet. It also depends how did you brake it in (bedding in procedure).

It takes time for the rings to sit properly. go through multiple heat cycles.

My brake-in procedure was like 600-700miles gentile ride with 5 oil changes (first mineral oil, semi synthetic and then full synthetic).
then dyno map it with removing the rev limiter and further bedding in on dyno.
now I have equal compression on all 4 cylinders with 150psi

LetsGetThisDone

iTrader: (1)

He posted his break in procedure. Compression should not be that uneven. Maybe if all 4 cylinders were equally low. But not one at 160, and one at 135..

gsrboi80

iTrader: (38)

It amazes me the amount of newly built 4G63/4G64 engines that make it little to no mileage at all before they fail or have serious issues in where they need to be pulled back apart sometimes requiring just as much in parts and labor as you just put into the damn thing.

Hell both SBC's in our families TA and Vette have been rebuilt and running for the past 5+ years, Had a 5.0L HO engine built for my old 89 Mustang I had in High School, that car is still on the road with the same motor some 20yrs later.

Guess you need to find the guy who has the best track record building engines for your specific application.

Is it that folks are throwing these things together themselves and hoping for the best?
Are they using mom and pops garage up the road?
Are the companies that built these engines in the past just not applying the same quality standards?
Taking shortcuts because the GTR engine they have waiting to be assembled will net them a fatter paycheck at the end of the week?

Currently I have only one engine builder in mind for my EVO, lets hope he still is building engines when this thing finally decides it's had enough. Yes it's you, in case my tuner reads this haha

DatEngnr_Bro

My tuner/builder placed heavy emphasis on the 1st 100 miles(to set the rings), wasn't too concerned about after that. He just mentioned to stay out of boost and engine break through the rev range for another 500miles.
100 miles is all they do for their shop-race engines.

Also no time during my break-in was there every any oil in the exhaust, let alone pooling in the chambers


I think a tear-down is in order OP
What kind of oil was used during break-in? (not that it should matter that much)

TheRealDirtyDan

Non detergent sae30 valvoline

DatEngnr_Bro

seems a bit thin for break-in...

Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
If your oil consumption/burn stays pretty much the same after the catch can install it's prob more likely your problem is valve train related rather than piston rings.
Because if your rings are the issue the catch can should relieve some pressure, which would result in less oil that comes up.

TheRealDirtyDan

Not too thin for break in.

I haven’t had a chance to the run the car with the catch cans on. I believe you are thinking about blow by. Catch can(s) would help with crankcase ventilation reducing blow by, but if the rings didn’t seat correctly and allowing oil into the combustion chamber the catch cans will do nothing for that.

Leak down tester coming in tomorrow. Will update