My TR3A engine is blowing lots of smelly but only slightly visible fumes
out of the breather tube. Enough that is was clearly noticeable to those
unfortunate enough to be following me when I got on it. My interpretation
was a massive amount of blow-by from one or more cylinders.
A compression check yielded:
1 - 135#
2 - 140#
3 - 135#
4 - 85#
Adding oil into #4 did not raise compression at all so I thought it
unlikely to be the rings.
A leak down test on #4 sent copious amounts of air out the breather tube.
Took the head off this morning -- no hole in #4 piston and the gasket shows
no noticeable (to my eye) signs of failing around #4 cylinder.
Anyway, head gasket failures I have had have always been either coolant
into the cylinder or combustion products into the coolant -- the rim of the
cylinder is a (relatively) long way from the oil galleys.
I will note that the projection of the liners above the deck is very slight
so I do plan to use 'Randall's Fire Ring' 26awg copper wire enhancement on
the next gasket.
Now my choices -- put an 'improved' head gasket back on, torque the head
down and do another leak-down test or...
Open up the bottom end and push #4 piston out to see what the rings look
like.
Would a broken ring produce the problem & numbers I am seeing?
Is there something else I am completely missing?
Thanks for any advice, guesses or sympathy.
Geo
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