The bucks leak here

[Rick20]

I guess we all know or at least believe that maximum, or optimal ring pack sealing, or mating provides maximum performance in any motor. Maximizing compression has got to provide for better use of fuel. Of coarse we can either use this performance for economy, or our right foot can enjoy the performance and negate potential economy.

But my real question here deals with crankcase ventilation and pollution control devices.
Lousy ring pack performance must lead to more blow by gases into the crankcase. This unburned or partial burned fuel gets cycled back through the intake system for a second chance at burning. But what is the fuel value of this blow by when it recycled back through the intake. My guess is very little making it a performance drag. I would think the recycled gases and unburned fuel lead to a filthy intake system as well. I think there is plenty of evidence that clogged EGR valves, MAF sensors and failing PCV valves would support this as well.

So ring sealing is important for increased performance when taken into consideration on a single firing stroke. But how much inefficiency is created from the unburned fuel being recycled back through the system from lousy ring sealing? And would we really need to run fuel system cleaners as often as we do, if we would just take care of the ring packs?

 

[sprintman]

I'm running an extended RX clean on my turbo beater. Was due to drain in 700kms but with new filter I think I'll add another 1,000kms making it a 4,700km clean. Every km helps the ring pack IMO.

 

[Drew99GT]

PCV systems help get blowby gases out of the crankcase, which can lead to acid formation and rapid oil depletion/sludge. They are good!

 

[Rick20]

Yes I know that ventilation of the crankcase is imperative. My question is how much combustion efficency is lost from these vapors recycling back through the intake? Proper ring pack action with the cylinder walls can greatly reduce the volume of blow by gases and hense there be less gases to cycle back through. Anybody make a guess on how much blow by gas is ventilated over 300 miles in a optimal compression motor vs. one with gunked up rings resulting in lower than spec compression.

 

[Laminar Lou]

Quote:

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Yes I know that ventilation of the crankcase is imperative. My question is how much combustion efficency is lost from these vapors recycling back through the intake? Proper ring pack action with the cylinder walls can greatly reduce the volume of blow by gases and hense there be less gases to cycle back through. Anybody make a guess on how much blow by gas is ventilated over 300 miles in a optimal compression motor vs. one with gunked up rings resulting in lower than spec compression.

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Find someone with a PCV catch can and you'll find your answer as to how much heavy stuff is cycling back into the engine - not sure about lighter vapors though. It seems to vary according to engine, and probably health of the engine as you suggested.

I can see that a PCV catch can would be another way to see if something is awry when it starts filling up less then expected (clogged PCV valve), or too fast (lots of blowby).

 

[Shelby]

My opinion is all of those things you mentioned are a factor in motor performance, including dirty versus clean packs and blow by etc. I have no idea which would be more important if that's what your looking for. I use ARX to ensure I have a sludge free oil system, and change my PCV when I can, and my very old motors are running very very good. They were abused before I owned them, and my gas milage has steadily improved over the last 10 months. I got a big jump when I changed the PCV, if that helps with your question? Both engines were well into the 100k's and I changed the PCV's which had never been changed. Since that and all of the other additives I use I am up a whopping 20% in milage. Assuming that better milage means I'm getting better performance, then I'd say there is evidence these things matter.

As for gas addiitives, I use them more because of gas quality as opposed to having a dirty oil system. In other words I think everything you can do for your engines lubrication and fueling system is helpful to engine performance so long as they are quality products. Also, consider ensuring your water flow stays strong with something like RMI25, an aging cooling system that is gathering gunk is just as bad as an oil system that is gathering sludge.

My new regime for my new car- Maintance dose of ARX from day one and that's it, and Lucas Fuel cleaner at 3k and then techron at 6k, and then repeat at 9 and 12k. For fun I put MMO in every tank. So this is an opinion question so that's my opinion. No matter what effect a clean ring pack has, I still use fuel cleaners. And I also think using a very good synthetic oil is also good to keep your packs clean and lubricated. I think there is more and more evidence that ARX will work good with even high quality synthetics. Traditionally I have not held
on to cars that long, but I just bought a truck and I'm hoping to drive it until it dies, and see if my truck care regime has a good effect on a new engine like it did on my old ones.

 

[Shelby]

You can trying hooking an exhaust pipe up to an air intake system and see what effects dirty ait have on engine performance if you really want to know.