Bah, think I've killed it.

[Coyoteboy]

Think I've finally pushed the little 185 too far. Been having occasional crank angle sensor glitches causing the occasional misfire. Had planned to get to the bottom of it over summer but it looks like my laziness has bitten me in the arse. Booted it a month or so ago and got a rather striking misfire at full boost, backed off and continued my drive to work - didn't notice much different. On the return drive noticed I'm fairly down on power and now have an unusual hiss at full boost. Still pulls nicely at lower boost but not as spectacularly as it did. Didn't think much of it for a while as it seemed fine but recently has started to use oil and spit some of it out of the dipstick. Doesn't bode well, reckon the misfire on that occasion was an early fire and may have mashed the ringlands on at least one piston. Still drives fine other than the lack of top end power, no notable misfire and exhaust tone is the same as always and doesn't smell very smokey, but the heavy breathing is a definite warning sign.

Looks like I'm going to have to buy a new compression gauge and maybe a borescope to have a poke around.

[Driveby]

  Bad times
Still if the time and money allow Im sure she'll come back better and stronger then ever 

[Coyoteboy]

Not sure I could justify a rebuild to be honest, with my other project on the go I'd sort of said "when it's dead it's dead". I just didn't expect it to be this soon. Looking at what, £500 in parts to rebuild.

Really bad times.

As I've no noise from the rings, and only the slightest rattle at 3K light load, I'm wondering if it's not a ring issue but a blocked breather. Compression test will have to confirm.
http://www.youtube.com/embed/HhvnzKKmFnY

[Coyoteboy]

Well this is a bit odd. decided to strip a few items and fit new intake temp sensor and run a comp test while cold to scare myself. while pulling  the plugs i find number 3 has signs of mild detonation and the plug ceramic had shattered. that explains my mild misfire but not my oil use and smoking dipstick. cold compression test with all plugs out and throttle wide, fuel off is 185 190 185 190 all after 6 pulses. This is better than the last time i did it warm. suggesting maybe oil in bores from somewhere but cranking  from cold overnight stop it hadn't even build head pressure on each cranking so it shouldn't be something like excess oil fling from worn main or big ends either. puzzled. any opinions while i go get lunch?

[cunning stunt]

id like to say i have an idea whats going on but i dont ,hope you get it sorted though.

[Coyoteboy]

And to top it off the bits I took back to metal, etched, primed and sprayed with 2 pack have started rusting already and this afternoon noticed my NS front top mount has collapsed.

Starting to lose the will to bother if I'm honest at this point.

[STEVEtheHUTT]

dont give up dood.............
as a few stabs in the dark with the engine............... warm it up and unscrew the oil filler cap, see if you have back pressure or vapor, if its back pressure it should try and blow the filler cap off, not like a fountain but you know the score
2nd thing, that dodgeeie spark plug. i had 1 that was leaking compression past the ceramic causing a light misfire, but the unburnt fuel was getting into the sump, slightly thinning the oil and causing vapor to come out of the dipstick.............
only other thing on the oil usage front, check the turbo oil feed and return pipes are good, and the water cooling to the turbo, could be abit of oil being super heated.........
i can stab in the dark no longer hahahaha, hope you get it sorted........... if not i may have a cs for you FOC(ked) hahahahaha

steve