# Sticking Piston Ring - am I in the mire?



## 107558 (Oct 10, 2007)

Ran the RV for the first time for over a month yesterday and to cut a long story short it seems I have a sticking piston ring according to the HGV types here.

Now I've been told that one cure is to put a gallon of oil in the fuel tank along with a large quantity of diesel (i.e. fill her up) and go for a long run. The throw away remark at the end was it will kill or cure it 8O .

Another cure is to put REDEX and about 10 gallons of diesel into the tank and go for a long run.

Another is 5 gallons of vegetable oil and a cap full of kerosene in tank as vegie oil is known to clean away sludge...

So the question is what is the best way to *try* to cure a sticking piston ring without stripping down the engine and knackering fuel pumps, filters etc?


----------



## 101776 (Nov 13, 2006)

I don't know the correct answer, but I would not do any of the things you have described...it could be very expensive experiment!!

Get advice from a proper mechanic.....it will be cheaper in the long run...best not to fiddle with things we don't have a good understanding of...

Good Luck....and no doubt those of greater knowledge will be along very soon to tell you the best way to tackle it....


----------



## olley (May 1, 2005)

Hi john what symptoms do you have? White smoke? crankcase compression?

Olley


----------



## Busty (Apr 3, 2008)

On what basis and symptoms was the diagnosis of a sticking piston ring given. Sounds unlikely.

Busty


----------



## hilldweller (Mar 8, 2008)

I take it it's petrol.

Did they do compression test on it ?

If you can get at the engine it's easy and will point to one cylinder.

Anyway, what are the symptoms ? One pot down or lots of blue smoke ?


----------



## olley (May 1, 2005)

Hi Busty if its pumping out white smoke and you have smoke coming out of the oil filler tube when you remove the cap, than you have a piston fault, could be rings, could be a holed piston, whatever it could be nasty.

Olley


----------



## Busty (Apr 3, 2008)

Hi Olley
Yes i agree but he hasnt said what. Could be a valve sticking seems unlikely to just crop up.

Busty

Im just geetting my overalls on


----------



## 107558 (Oct 10, 2007)

I should hav mentioned its a Chevrolet 6.5l Turbo Diesel with about 54,500 miles on the clock.

The symptoms are: smoke from the oil breather pipe. No emulsion in the oil. Reduced MPG.


----------



## olley (May 1, 2005)

Hi John I believe you can buy some products that you put in your tank that claim to cure this, never tried them so can't comment.

failing that you need to do a compression test, remove all the injectors, hire a tester and find out which one is low, then fill that bore with penetrating oil and leave it overnight, do that a couple of times, replace the injectors change the oil and go for a good run.

If that doesen't work its sump off and drop the piston, which may come past the crank if you are lucky, if not its head off.  

Olley


----------



## Busty (Apr 3, 2008)

Very good that Olley.

Ive took my overalls off now

Busty


----------



## olley (May 1, 2005)

Busty said:


> Very good that Olley.
> 
> Ive took my overalls off now
> 
> Busty


I am melting at the thought. :lol:

Olley


----------



## 107558 (Oct 10, 2007)

Many thanks for that.

I'll take the easy way out first and try some REDEX in with the diesel and go for a 40 mile run.

If that doesn't work I try and find a local mechanic who have a look at it. Soon as you mention American engine they all seem to run a mile :roll: 

Busty if you're free to pop over to look at it I'll be more than happy to hold your overalls for you...


----------



## olley (May 1, 2005)

Hi John Forte do a treatment:

FORTE ADVANCED FORMULA GAS TREATMENT:

Key Benefits (see diagram below)
1) Cleans and lubricates the fuel pump
2) Neutralises acids and protects against fuel oxidation
3) Cleans and lubricates fuel injectors
4) Cleans and lubricates inlet valves
5) Removes light carbon deposits from the combustion chamber to improve combustion efficiency
6) Cleans and frees compression piston rings, allowing them to function correctly
7) Cleans the exhaust valves, removing carbon deposits, cleaning the valve seats to improve compression and lubricating the valve stems to overcome valve sticking
8) removes deposits and debris from the lambda sensor, enabling better detection and adjustment of the air/fuel mixture - an important factor in performance and economy
9) Used regularly, cleans and lubricates the E.G.R. valve to prevent sticking which can cause significant deduction in performance
10) Optimising combustion allows the catalytic convertor to operate efficiently to ensure maximum reduction of harmful exhaust emissions

And heres another: http://www.solxsolutions.com/engine_fuel_treatments.htm

I reckon you might need a hand to hold those overalls, I understand the top half is very big. :lol:

Olley


----------



## 107558 (Oct 10, 2007)

I'll pop into Halfords later on today and see if they have any Forte's for diesels.

I'll let you know what happens...


----------



## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

So Busty is in to engines as well; a real jack of all trades, or should that be Jill 8) :roll:


----------



## artona (Jan 19, 2006)

Hi

_I am melting at the thought_

You did not get that excited when BigFrank offered the same Olley :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

stew


----------



## Busty (Apr 3, 2008)

I cant get any work done thinking about it ( engines i mean)

When i was at uni i worked every summer on a pig farm (Beautiful animals) we had all manner of vehicles and i gleaned what i could about mechanics and can do a lot.

To John
Im afraid if you need a mechanic your not much good to me I love a man good with his hands.

Now Olley

You sound more like my kind of man knowledgable, and good with his hands. 
I like a man to take me out to dinner and at the end of the evening i expect him to show me what he can do with his hands.
Dab his pin in the machine to pay the bill, Hail me a cab with them, :lol: and wave as i leave.  

Thanks for the LaughsI. really will have to get back to my tasks now

Busty


----------



## olley (May 1, 2005)

Hi Stew, is he still about? didn't he have a sex change? could be bigjill now. :lol: 

Olley


----------



## artona (Jan 19, 2006)

Hi

Could be mate   


stew


----------



## Motorhomersimpson (May 9, 2005)

olley said:


> BIGFRANK ... didn't he have a sex change? could be bigjill now. :lol: Olley


yeah with a big BUST :wink: :wink: :lol: :lol:

MHS...Rob


----------



## averhamdave (May 21, 2005)

It is unlikely to be "sticking rings" on a big diesel, petrol yes, diesel no. Oh and valves don't "stick" so forget about that old wives tale. If there is crankcase pressure, and assuming that all the engine breathers are clear then the rings and/or cylinder bores are worn.

You will not be able to draw the pistons downwards past the crank! You'll need heads off.

A compression test will show nothing. You need to do a cylinder leakage test - different thing altogether - compressed air is introduced into each cylinder when the valves are shut and the amount of leakage, measured on a gauge, and its point of leakage is noted.

A run with some diesel aditive is probably worth a go, given the alternative will be expensive! If that doesn't work, and it probably won't then find a good commercial (lorry) garage to take a look.


----------



## Busty (Apr 3, 2008)

One really has to allow children playtime. We dont want any more dummies spat out do we. 8)

Busty xx


----------



## Busty (Apr 3, 2008)

Agree with that Averamdave but John seemed to infer that the problem had suddenly appeared hence sticking ring, but without an inspection its just a guessing game and he has had the HGV guys on it for an opinion

Busty


----------



## 107088 (Sep 18, 2007)

If its a sticking ring, then 









Anusol is effective.


:wink:


----------



## olley (May 1, 2005)

I usually find a lubricate allows the piston to slide in and out of the bore much easier, try KY jelly, no stuck rings with that. :lol: 

Hi Avershamdave older long stroke diesels with a large crank throw do sometimes allow the pistons to be removed from the sump. Whether you can with Johns 6.5 I have no idea.

Do you do you speak from experiance of trying to do this on the 6.5?

Olley


----------



## 107558 (Oct 10, 2007)

Sticky Ring Update (For Bandaid's benefit that's a _piston_ ring)

Went to Halfords and perused the various additives available. Choose an STP one because it had a before and after picture of its effects on piston rings.

For once I followed the instructions and tipped the contents of the bottle into the tank and put 60 litres (£80 !! 8O ) of diesel into the tank.

Within 500 yards of the petrol station the engine noise quietened very considerably and the vibrations dropped noticeably. Went for a 10 mile drive and left the RV over night. The next morning went for about a 5 mile drive to warm up the engine and went round to see a Diesel Mechanic.

The amount of Smokey "discharge" from the oil breather pipe was very minimal and the mechanic said it looked well within limits.

For the last 3000 miles or so I've only been using Morrison's Diesel.

It seems that they, and all other supermarkets, don't put additives into their fuel which causes the combustion system to gum up (coke up, grunge etc).

I've been told that if I have to use supermarket fuel then every 3rd fill up should be from a normal garage using their super/advanced/go-faster-stripe/full-of-additives fuel!


----------



## hilldweller (Mar 8, 2008)

JQL said:


> Sticky Ring Update (For Bandaid's benefit that's a _piston_ ring)


Phewwwwwwwwwwwwww, you can breath again.

Good tip on supermarket fuel, I'll bet we all use that. I might just get some additive for mine because it's MOT is due next month.


----------

