Adrenalin

I've had "blowby" or so I thought even befoere I put the turbo on. I have oil on #6 plug and chalked it up to a bad ring or even the slight possibility of a cracked piston.

Well, I did a compression check of the cylinders 5-8. First I tested #6 and it showed 150lbs and held it. A friend suggested that it could be an intake gasket leak that is causing oil to get into that cyl.

I checked #5 as a reference and it showed the exact same, 150.

I wanted to check one last cyl just for good measure and tested #8 and it only went to 65lbs... A little annoyed, I pulled the tester out and re-checked #6 again to make sure I didn't mess up the tester and it still showed 150. I retest #8 and netted the same results, 65lbs. I let it sit there for about 10 minutes and it never dropped which has me a little puzzled. I think if it were a ring, I could show some signs on the plug but it looks good. If it were not enough shims under the factory rockers, not allowing the valves to close all the way, I think the pressure would leak down. I decide to test number 7 but in the mean time, while I pulled the plug wire and plug, I leave the compression tester hooked up to #8. I pull #7 plug and go to remove the compression tester from #8 and it seems to have dropped from 65 to 55 immediately even though I didn't "see" it do it.

I wondered then if my head gasket was blown from cyl #7 to #8. Well I go ahead and test #7 and it also shows 150lbs and it doesn't leak down.

The gauge I am using has a button to release pressure just below the guage. I figured the reason the pressure didn't release was because of a check valve so I decided to remove the gauge from the hose below the check valve and t he pressure bled off. The tool may not be accurate for a leak down but I'm not sure.

I made up my mind that I don't want to rebuild or replace the stock short block with another stock block or even one that has some decent internals because I don't want to waste the money when I know I am going to get an aftermarket block. I will however pull the intake and change those gaskets or even the head gaskets if I have a high possibility that it is a head gasket that is blown rather than a ring.

What are your thoughts?

Adrenalin

The gauge does not allow me to do a leakdown over time test. I removed the hose from the head and no pressure released while the gauge held 150psi.

shinysideup

id say if the valves are closed for sure, then its time to remove the heads to look at the problem.