will a comp. test be enough to verify that the rings are good enough to withstand a upgrade? My thought was, Add a X-Ram, Headers, plus roller rockers to this, I'd like to increase the HP and need to do a valve job and replace the exhaust system plus do a tune up as it stands now, So, i thought What the heck!! And just so you guys know, I haven't been under a hood in a few years, and I'm not a full blown mechanic, I just want to check my thinking first with your help. Thanks!!!!

 

yes, it should be good enough....... check each piston if any reading falls 20- and down you have a bad ring..example test #1 piston reading 195 ilb comp, piston #2,,, 190 ilb comp,,,so far all good ..piston # 3,,, 170 ilb comp not good piston # 4,,192 ilb good.... so out of the 4 pistons the # 3 piston's rings are bad,,,,,and make shure when doing the test make shure you let the gage hold for a 5 min to see if you have any leek down,by doing the test it will tell you you have good compression rings ,, it will not tell you if you have good oil rings.[8D] most likley if the compression rings or good the oil rings shoul be to.... does the motor have any blow by?

 

A rule of thumb I've always followed, is if you build the top, build the bottom. (and vicy vercy)
Then you KNOW it's ALL good. It's best when it's all tight!!!
Don't scrimp now, it could cost a lot more later.
Concider, how many miles on engine. A comp. test only tells about the comp. rings and valves, not your main bearings, rod bearings, or piston pins. Does it use or leak any oil.
Just my thought on the issue.

 

well realy a loose motor makes more power,,,, when we build are motors we build them loose... for the fact that if we want to run a blower or NOS... it is provin at the track in the numbers,, that a loose motor will beat the same motor that was brand new.tight ,and if you plan on running nitrous you better have a loose motor because every thing exspands when running the bottle... and i no all you yung guns love the bottle......

[IMG]local://upfiles/1664/DDBAF6DD37C142D6B11A80E59602A0DF.jpg[/IMG]

 

Built loose is one thing, worn loose is another. Granted an engine built loose will tighten up with temp increase, but you build the whole engine for what you want out of it. Take a stock engine, with wear, and build the top end, ( lifters, cam, intake, headers, port and relieve....so on ) you could blow the bottom right out of it.
Eh?
Just a lifter and exhaust upgrade, and recondition the heads should be O.K. If your going to bottle feed it, best do it all.

 

true true true.. your right,,,,if you want it to last build from the ground up.. i agree

 

i can remember a cuple of years ago i built this motor for this guys camaro...350 small block 4 bolt .. i could have turned the crank had over 200000 miles on it,i miked the crankt,,i could of turned it 10 under but i said it should be ok. i love a loose motor, so left it standerd.... did not even bore it just honed it , cyclender did not have a ridge,,, so i filed fit some rings for it ..put on some after market heads and a solid roller cam, huge lift i remember noching the pistons for the huge lift.and hooked up a 400 shot of NOS to ..the big shot.... car had 5.56 gears that car ran low 10"s on the bottle and the car still is running down the track the same way i built it... ....... could be because it is a chevy... hahahah... im not saying your wrong by no means ... but have done some crazy stuff and it works,,,, i just thought i would shear the story with you

 

Ain't it amazin' what you can do with a 4 bolt!!!
I hope we have given Brian a better picture to look at, when he decides to do his upgrade.
Eh, Brian? Hope we helped!

 

thats a big 10. 4 dave

 

Boy! I'll say you guys have helped!!!!! I agree with building from the bottom --up!! why skip now!!!
when I bought this, I was told that there wasn't much I could do to increase HP, But! after reading through the different post here,
I can feel that itch comeing back[:@] So thanks, this helps, and so you know, it does smoke a little after idleing, but seems to stop after running on the warm side, it needs work in all areas so I'll be busy, And looking forward to doing the work needed. fortunetly my brother is a body mech, and thats a big help with the cost in that area, I'll be doing most of the prep, under his guidence and might even attempt to paint it as well. But, thats pending completetion of all the rest, So, I'll probably be old, broke, and gray before that