How common are stuck rings?

[fdcg27]

There have been a number of threads recently in which the OPs report quite high oil consumption with engines that have fairly low miles. It's hard for me to conceive of any modern engine given decent maintenance using current oils actually being worn out well short of 200K, although some of those reporting high consumption have under 100K and some of those posters report conservative OCIs.
My conclusion is that there are many engines running around with sticky or stuck piston rings.
This is one of those problems that can be addressed with a mechanic-in-a-can in many cases, but only if the owner is aware of the cause of the high oil consumption as well as the potential cure.
Is this a more common problem than was once the case?
Why would this be?
Could longer drain intervals using thinner grades play a role?

 

[PolarisX]

I think part of the blame is low tension rings, higher output smaller engines, and longer intervals.

 

[Ohle_Manezzini]

The fashion of long drain intervals, or wrong lesser grade, cheaper oils, are the culprits, IMO.

 

[Donald]

A stuck oil control ring is hard to diagnose if the compression rings are fine.

 

[Trav]

Hotter running engines, forced induction, low tension rings, longer OCI all contribute to it. Throw dino oil in the mix and its almost a certainty at some point.
Most manufacturers latest oil specs today require a blend at a minimum to meet them, look for a dexos spec dino and see how many you find.

 

[Ducked]

OTOH, a recent thread plausibly suggests that burnt VII's from skinny, low-solvation synthetic oils are a factor.

 

[CR94]

Right, Ducked. Whether change intervals are even a major factor is unclear.

Other factors that some have suspected:
1) The trend to move rings closer to the top of pistons to reduce quench volume, thereby increasing temperatures in the ring belt;
2) Too much high-speed, high-power driving;
3) Too many short trips without full warm-up.

I don't think the problem is well understood, outside of perhaps a few engineers within the auto and oil companies, and they aren't talking. As owner of a car rumored to be highly susceptible, I hope we soon learn more about how to avoid the issue, and get more help from oil companies and standards organizations.

 

[Merkava_4]

Not changing the oil often enough is the main contributing factor.




Post 15K

 

[ShotGun429]

(Is this a more common problem than was once the case?
Why would this be?) Yes, Unleaded fuels make heavy deposits on piston crowns and ring lands a thing of the past. stuck rings are nowadays a thing of poor maintenance on OCI,s

 

[eljefino]

I also blame the low tension rings. If they were only springy they could clean themselves.

 

[BrocLuno]

In some motors it is the oil return holes behind the oil rings that coke/varnish up and then the oil has to go somewhere. Some of it goes up the wall and passed the compression rings.

In some cases it's the wrong oil for the engine design. You know they never say "this engine is equipped with high rings to aid in combustion efficiency", but they ought to. Then at least the owner would be more likely to use the best oil they could ...

And I agree. In a thermal engine heat is power. So there has been a steady move from the days of 180* coolant to 205* and now onto 210* under pressure. we're really squeezing the envelope to get the mileage ...

Add turbo pressures forcing burnt oil back down passed the compression rings and you get "issues" ...

 

[CR94]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Not changing the oil often enough is the main contributing factor.
Your source for that claim is ___ ? As fdcg27 already pointed out, many engines with that problem have been conservatively maintained, as far as change intervals.

 

[akela]

Originally Posted By: CR94
2) Too much high-speed, high-power driving;

for some reason I think it more likely is the opposite: too little high-speed, high-power driving. Lack of the regular proper Italian tune-up.

 

[bvance554]

I think it is a combination of longer OCI's, less ZDDP, Donald Trump, traces of ethanol, bad anti-drainback valves, and in some cases K&N air filters.

Engines do wear.... maybe not here on BITOG, but in the real world after a couple hundred K, there is some wear that occurs. I'd try some MMO...

 

[Robenstein]

I own a supposed oil drinker engine and mine does not use any noticeable amount.

I change the oil at 4.5 to 5k miles, using only synthetic. Most people with the engine push it to 7,500 miles and I think that may be part of the problem. Toyota also back dated the engines to use 5w20 but I continue to use 5w30.

 

[chrisri]

I would say here, not really common. Through the years I always have at least 6-8 vehicles on my hands, some did use oil, but they were simply very high mileage, worn out engines. One had a turbo problem.

I follow manufacturer recommendations, but not to the letter. 30k seems excessive to me for a light van OCI so I cut it to 20-22k. On cars used in town I'll keep it under 18k.

Only cars I can tell that are prone to use excessive amounts of oil , and are not high mileage worn out units or have turbo problems' are VWs, TSI (TFSI) and TDIs. I contribute that to the poor designed engines.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: CR94
Your source for that claim is ___ ?


Right Here
Fast foward to 15:00

 

[SumpChump]

I own a oil drinker the Toyota 2AZ-FE in a 2008 Scion xB at 140k miles. Adult owned previously and 5,000 mile documented OCI. But with conventional. The oil return holes coke up. I WISH that I has just stuck rings. LOL

I''m interested to see how long she goes till she blows or more likely the catalyst clogs up which I will the tear off and "replace".

In any case, I hope it lasts two to three years so I get the monthly cost of ownership down to about $150 per month.

 

[Jetronic]

But there really is no reason to get coked up oil return holes unless the oil used/recommended isn't up to the job.

I wonder if a diesel engine oil with higher dispersant concentrations could prevent the coking in said engines.

I've seen documentation recently that claims group I mineral oils are about 30% better than GRII/III/IV oils in keeping polar compounds in suspension, while esters can do at least 3 times better than the group I minerals.

Look for the aniline point of base oils.

 

[KrisZ]

Automatics+low revs+no compression braking+poor maintenance = stuck piston rings.