88tII_Fc3s

I had a couple threads a while back with some problems with my rear rotor compression reading zero after a compression check.

I dismantled my whole turbo setup and lower manifold to look inside the rear housing. I can see all the apex seals solid and the housing from what I see looks good. decompressing the apex seals by hand they feel quite stiff and aren't anywhere as springy as the front

I turned the motor by hand and sprayed some carb cleaner across the seals when visable a few times over the corse of a couple hours while solving a turbo issue I had.

coming back to the car I did a compression test again and before I was reading nothing whatsoever as in the tester didn't even nudge now Im getting some very small pulses of 10-15psi instead of 0.

keeping in mind I didn't do a whole lot to try and losen up the seals stiffness just a bit of carb cleaner and time rotating the motor.

I was at the point of removing the whole engine and starting a rebuild but now im wondering if there are a couple things I should be aware of or look at since I did gain some sort of compression by doing what I did.

carbon caked around my seals maybe?

even more confused than I was originally

RotaryEvolution

iTrader: (30)

if the seals can't extend properly then the compression will be low or 0.

you can either just prep it for rebuilding or keep working the seals and hope they eventually all spring back out properly.

88tII_Fc3s

Is there any good trick to getting the seals to spring out properly if they are sticking? ive heard atf works but have heard some horror stories.
I noticed atkins sold a amsoil product for this purpose

lduley

iTrader: (1)

If you can get it to start you may be able to try the water trick. But in all honesty, it would be more of a sure bet to disassemble the engine and you might get lucky and just put a gasket kit into it and all the rotor parts MAY be reusable. But you won't know till the teardown

Molotovman

iTrader: (49)

Put some ATF in and turn it over.

The seals either:
Don't loosen up
Loosen up and have compression
Loosen up, get stuck,maybe break an apex seal and destroy the housing.

I've had it work any of those 3 ways.

88tII_Fc3s

im gonna try some atf and see what happens. if I don't get a noticeable increase in compression ill be taking out the motor to rebuild.

a compression increase after using an atf or mmo trick will be noticeable after running the car and redlining it like ive read? or I should be able to notice compression increase right off the bat without running the car?

FelixIsGod29X

iTrader: (50)

I thought ATF was bad for the oil seals, try MMO?

RotaryEvolution

iTrader: (30)

i would use MMO before ATF, it will be less harmful to anything rubber inside the engine.

philiptompkins

iTrader: (4)

A seal got stuck and my car would not start after not being run for a few months.
I tried everything already mentioned in this thread and couldn't get it started.
Finally a friend came over and we pull started it with a rope, about 3500 rpm it fired right up and was fine after that.

lduley

iTrader: (1)

I would be leary about redlineing it, the idea of the apex seals not out all the way spinning at 7-8 grand? it sounds like catastrophe to me

I wouldn't do it with mine lol

RotaryEvolution

iTrader: (30)

the apex seals seal better with higher revs, but if they are stuck even while idling the engine still i wouldn't bother redlining it unless you are prepared to replace more than basic rebuild parts.

centrifugal force is what frees up stuck seals, if they are really bound up then they either won't release or they will get crunched.

88tII_Fc3s

my hope is to at least free things up. from what it seems like I have a good core to rebuild however there is no way of knowing until the motor is apart.
the least amount of parts I gota replace the better
I just grabbed a large bottle of mmo and have one side soaking at 6 oclock right now
is it possible to have reusable parts for the rebuild? the motor was done less than a year ago and
im just praying tht I wont have to go with a master kit within a year for a second time.

RotaryEvolution

iTrader: (30)

you just never know until you tear it apart.

if it is only a year old and the seals are stuck, that already is not a good sign. if i were you i would plan on tearing it apart now and stop messing with it.

why? because if it was rebuilt properly there is no way in hell it should be binding up unless it had some water sitting in it or it wasn't cleaned/clearanced properly to start with.

if it was rebuilt 10 years ago and had 50k+ on it, then i would say keep massaging it as it could just have excessive carbon in the rotors.

88tII_Fc3s

i was able to find a rebuilt s4 t2 core for a good deal locally
there is no paperwork for rebuild
im thinking it is a good option even if it ends up being only for parts
is there anyway to tell compression by cranking the motor by hand
i also have a compression tester i can bring but the motor itself is
a shortblock that is ready to be moved

im very tempted in picking this up if it is usable

lduley

iTrader: (1)

only thing you can do is take the plugs out and roll it over by hand and listen, but you can still have good wooshes, but low compression, your gambling no matter what you do

88tII_Fc3s

sounds like a gamble then..
hard call to make
wish there was a way of knowing

lduley

iTrader: (1)

wrap 10 ft. of rope around the E-shaft pulley, hook it to the bumper of the vehicle and yank :P

88tII_Fc3s

gotta do what you gotta do haha!
just seems like a good deal if the motor is good.
rebuild is looking like at least 1500+ not including gas etc
and thats assuming the core i have is good =/

misterstyx69

iTrader: (142)

I'd like to see the color of sky in your world!..lol!
gives a whole new meaning to Pull start...

You know..that if you have the trans on the engine,with the starter on,just put 12 volts to the starter and it will roll over and you can test compression with the engine out of the car.
Beware though that if the oil cooler and stuff is not hooked up you will SPEW fluids!

lduley

iTrader: (1)

That was the small engine mechanic in me talking lol

/thread derail

88tII_Fc3s

yeah its just a shortblock with no tranny available sadly
color of the rainbow haha?

ive heard you can tell by sound but like it was also stated on here it could still be bad even if it sounds like it holds plenty of compression.

archaphil

iTrader: (1)

I am currently massaging my s5 tII block with MMO on advisment from RE. I fill er up through the exhaust port at 6 o clock, let her sit for a few days, rotate to next seal at 6 o clock, repeat repeat repeat.

My was supposedly rebuilt 4 years ago run briefly and owner ran into money issues where it sat on an engine stand for 4 years never run. Mine *HOPING* is just carbon locked. It is certainly starting to whoosh a bit now. I have plenty of time as my NA engine runs fine to sit and dick around with MMO and turning by hand every few days.

88tII_Fc3s

ive been doing this with carb cleaner and mmo the last couple days and still haven't gained much of a whoosh at all from the rear, more of a single tick sound when it should be making the other. sometimes I can hear a very feint one but nothing strong at all

does anyone know what a good price to pay for a rebuildable core would be in this case? assuming the rotors and housing are good

archaphil

iTrader: (1)

Press gingerly on the seals with a plastic scraper each time to see if you can get them to flex again as well. I neglected to remember to put that

88tII_Fc3s

in a couple hours ill be putting my turbo back on and trying to start her up and then do another compression test after it warms up.

still trying to find a price on t2 cores