Corsa - Piston Rings or Stem Seals or Both?

[JC2012]

I have a Corsa 1.2 SXI 2002 - 70,000 miles

Not losing any coolant so i ruled out head gasket almost immediately but smokes (blue) im trying to figure out whether it needs new Stem Seals or Piston Rings or both? Whats the best way of finding out without taking the block apart. The engine runs smooth no hesitation just blue smoke when warm - Googling the problem people suggest a compression test would that definately tell me whether it requires new piston rings?


I understand its a big job but if i could find someone to do it at a good price around the Surrey / Hants area i would be happy to give them the car else I sell it to a mechanic or a trainee mechanic / college and they can have the car to work around repair it back on the road.

Any suggestions would be welcomed.

Thanks

[JC2012]

Well i ran the compression test , got the car up to operating temp by taking it for a 10 minute run was took out all the plugs then ran then used the Gunson Compression Tester to read off each Cylinder

Each one came out with the same reading just a touch over 200PSi so i assume this rules out any head problems. So are we looking at Stem Seals or Piston Rings?

Any advice appreciated.

[thinfourth2]

Advice

Its the valves stem seals or a blocked breather pumping oil into the inlet manifold

So

Either keep topping the oil up and ignore the problem

or

Sell it and ignore the problem

[iain a]

When does the smoke appear?

If it is when the engine is under load (you have your food down) - then it could be the rings (or the mixture is too rich or ??)

If it on the overrun (when you take your foot off the gas and are slowing down) - then it could be the valve guides or stem seals.

There are a few other things that could cause the symptoms. Good luck.

[Dr Doofenshmirtz]

What colour are the plugs?
A symptom of worn stem seals is usually a black plug in one or more (but unlikely to be all) cylinders.

If all plugs are black then it's more likely the crankcase breather dumping oil vapor back into the inlet (easy to diagnose, just look at the internal state of the inlet manifold downstram from the breather).

[buggalugs]

If its the stem seals then you will usually get a big cloud appearing if you use engine breaking for say 5 seconds and then put your foot down, but the smoke should mostly clear as you accelerate. Rings will usually smoke as you use the power. Also as said check the breathers/pcv valve if there is one.