Shagged head gasket/ worn rings

  1. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Dec 2002 United Kingdom Posts: 8390
    #1
    So the 106 GTi is getting harder to start without a little throttle, and runs slightly lumpy. Today I changed the cat for a decat, cleaned the throttle body, changed the filters and spark plugs, no change. Removed sparks were the right colour for a healthy running engine. My old VTR had identical symptoms when the H.G. had gone.

    The mrs noticed a little smoke when revving it. Im thinking perhaps the head gasket has gone but maybe the rings have chucked it too. Picking up the compression tester tomorrow to check for drops. Its been a while since Ive done it, but you can usually check for worn rings by dropping a small amount of oil into the cylinders and seeing if the comp pressure goes up, correct?

    If it needs a rebuild, Im not bothered, just dont want to do the gasket and the rings have gone too!
  2. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 9100 Amazon green VTR 16v, Inferno RS clio 182
    #2
    That's what I've done in the past yeah. What colours the smoke?


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  3. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Dec 2002 United Kingdom Posts: 8390
    #3
    Greyish, but theres deffo a tinge of oily blue
  4. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 9100 Amazon green VTR 16v, Inferno RS clio 182
    #4
    Hope for the best as could be oil and coolant in a cylinder from the head gasket but that doesn't sound good.


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  5. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Dec 2002 United Kingdom Posts: 8390
    #5
    Cyl 1 - 16bar
    Cyl 2 - 8 bar
    Cyl 3 -8 bar
    Cyl 4 - 16 bar

    Hot comp test on w.o.t. Oil made no difference, so it seems to be the same as my old AX, the head gasket has gone between 2 and 3. Strangely that was a 106 engine as well.
  6. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 9100 Amazon green VTR 16v, Inferno RS clio 182
    #6
    Thats good then, should be a more simple fix. No bottom end removal needed
  7. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Dec 2002 United Kingdom Posts: 8390
    #7
    Yeah pretty happy with that. Ill get stem and cam seals, replace them while the heads disassembled anyway. About time for a water pump and tensioner/idler so Ill probably just take the whole lot out and put it on the engine stand and really tidy it all up.

    Cheers dude.
  8. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 9100 Amazon green VTR 16v, Inferno RS clio 182
    #8
    will need to do the same with mine at some point. Old engine is done but the new one isnt
  9. Frequent Poster Joined: Dec 2006 London, England Posts: 734 Saxo VTS, Audi A6 Avant Quattro.
    #9
    My stem seals started to show signs of going at around 125k, when i took the head of on 147k she was smoking a fair bit on rev match down changes at high revs. New head and blue smoke is gone, and runs a lot better, should be a nice refresh for the car!
  10. L-plater Joined: Jan 2013 Sheffield Posts: 94 Vtr phase1 facelift
    #10
    My vtr is burning a little oil, tindge of blue smoke when I rev it, my oil has no yellow residue or anything though on the cap.
    What do you guys think from your experience?
    I've been told its slightly worn piston rings? Hope It doesn't blow or aanything :/
  11. Established Member Joined: Jan 2012 south essex!! Posts: 2442 posi blue vtrs race car
    #11
    few things,

    if oil and coolant dont mix doesnt mean its not the head gasket,

    oil could be leaking into the bore from the block, as could water.

    your symptoms show oil in the combustion chamber, how its getting there is really a compression check see if the rings are not as should be, should be getting 180-190psi anything above is really good, if its below (not 1 or 2 psi, more like 10-20) then chances are its rings, otherwise a head gasket or stem seals.

    my money would be on head gasket/stem seals, not heard of a std car with leaky rings, doesnt mean its not gonna happen tho...
  12. Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Jan 2003 Scotland Posts: 3380
    #12
    cylinder leakge test --not a compresson test that will tell you everything about mechanical condition of engine