How do I know if it needs rings ??

[blueriver]

First lets clear the air ... I am no mechanic!! My old tractor a Long 360 smokes and uses a little oil. I am told it needs a ring job.

How do I tell? What can I expect?

 

[tommu56]

Dose it smoke all the time or just starting?

All time is usually rings

At start up is valve guides

A compression test would tell which one it is too and give you a better idea if its one cylinder or more.

I'm not familiar with this tractor or engine this is just the basics.

tom

 

[atgreene]

Is this a diesel motor?

 

[alchemysa]

All time is usually rings

At start up is valve guides

As Tommu56 said. (Especially when you put your foot down, its rings).

You can buy extra thick oil especially made for older, smokey engines. It doesn't cost much more than ordinary oil and, in my experience, works quite well to reduce smoke. You'll need to go to a motor parts store to get it. A complete oil change to this type of oil is much more effective than a small bottle of 'stop smoke' additive.

 

[kenstrac]

Does it smoke all the time or does it come and go?
When is the last time you took the air cleaner apart and cleaned it?

 

[Travelover]

You can take a compression test, then squirt in some 30 weight oil and retest. The oil will temporarily seal the rings and boost the compression if they are bad.

 

[redharley]

Best way to tell if rings are bad is a cylinder leak down test. Google it you should find lot's of info.cylinder leak down tester is simple tool used with compressed air to tell how much air is going by rings.Should find used tools on ebay resonable

 

[Skyco]

Sometimes rings will just smoke at startup too. Had an 88 Mazda pu that smoked like a fogger at startup. Previous owner had valve seals done thinking that was the cause.
I tore it down and found the oil control rings were all gunked up and sticking badly. Put new rings in and -voila- no more start up smoke.
BTW that motor had 210,000 on it and the cylinder crosshatch still looked good. Didn't even have a ridge at the cylinder tops. Lightly touched it with a hone and put it back together...I think that motor would have gone another 210,000 no problem but it got totalled in a wreck

 

[Soundguy]

ditto what the others said.. on a wet test.. numbers that come up indicate rings.. could do the same with the leakdown test..

soundguy

 

[kenstrac]

You will probably need new rings and pistons what color is the smoke how much oil is it using normally the sleeves will be the same dia as new. piston with ring about $100 x3=$300 gasket set about $90.
You could probably just get away with pistons but rings are cheap enough