Stuck Piston Rings

[Enoch]

Hi folks, have reached a bit of a cross roads in my build. I think I have stuck piston rings on a couple of cylinders. I can't be certain without taking the heads off and maybe removing pistons - if I do take the heads off I am in for about £150 for gaskets and a lot of messing about. I would also need to make half a dozen service tools (liner hold down plates, head removal tool, chain tensioner puller and adjuster release tool).The Jag engine is known for sticky rings (no rude comments please) a common cure is an "Italian tune up" but I can't do that until the car is driveable, it may not fix the problem and then everything will have to come apart to get the engine out and get at the offending rings.
I am trying to get a consensus as to the best way to go with this, favourite at the moment is to run a compression test, dump some auto trans fluid down the offending bores, leave it for a week and then see what the situation is from there.
It needs new oil anyways so it does not matter if atf finds it's way in to the sump.
Anybody got any thoughts on this subject??
I really want to avoid a full engine strip if I can but don't want to end up with having to pull the engine after it's first test drive.
Thanks in advance.
Dave.

[twinturbo]

I take it you can spin the engine but lacking compression on a couple?

If so, put the fluid down the bores and give it a rotae every day for a couple of weeks on the starter ( plugs out ) and top up the fluid if needed.

Soak up all the fluid before attempting to turn it over with the plugs in as you may do a lot of damage.

You could also try a blowtorch in the bores to warm them up and get some expansion.

TT

[twinturbo]

Also check the valves are closing correctly.

TT

[bigtel]

I put a v6 grunter engine in my tranny and the rings were stuck, so I filled up the cylinders with diesel, left for a few days then warmed the block and did the blow lamp down the plug hole trick. After a big vroom and a cloud of white smoke (I thought a genie was coming out of the plug holes) it did the trick and I had many happy miles out of it.

[bigtel]

I put a v6 grunter engine in my tranny and the rings were stuck, so I filled up the cylinders with diesel, left for a few days then warmed the block and did the blow lamp down the plug hole trick. After a big vroom and a cloud of white smoke (I thought a genie was coming out of the plug holes) it did the trick and I had many happy miles out of it. good luck, terry

[flyerncle]

A lot of releasing fluid's have diesel in them so ditto the above.

[Enoch]

Thanks for your input guys. I had a quick play this afternoon between Christmas shopping and other domestic tasks. None of the cylinders had as much compression as I would have expected, a teaspoon of oil had the pressures back up to about 150-175 on all but 3 pots.
I think I have to get the heads off and remove each piston for a proper look to see what is going on in there. I think it will be a long job but worth it in the end, I just hope I don't end up having to get new rings / liners or I may just have to source another decent engine, which could work out cheaper
Thanks again though, it's always good to get a second opinion