SD220 Leak Down Results


IHC in the early to mid-fifties.

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Post Sat Aug 24, 2019 8:55 pm

SD220 Leak Down Results

I have read all the replies to my other thread regarding a rebuild. I decided to start another thread now that I have done a leak-down. I know I will probably get some mixed reviews here. I think I'm fine with the rear main leak for the time being. It's not too excessive. The rod bearings do need replaced but all seemed to be worn evenly. Main bearings weren't bad.

I did a leak down today and got the following results. 2, 3, 4 and 6 only had leak down through the rings and the loss was all between 14-22%. I know this isn't desirable but given what this truck is I feel it is acceptable. No cylinders had any loss through the radiator or the carb.

#1 has 72% loss and it is coming out the exhaust. My rebuilt head needs to go back to the shop.

#5 had a lot of oil on the plug when I pulled it. I got 49% loss all through the cylinder. This has to be where the majority of my blue smoke out the exhaust is coming from.

Here is my plan. Let the engine in the truck. Let the rear main continue to drip. Put new rod bearings in from the bottom. The head has to come off to get #1 exhaust valve looked at. Pull the #5 piston out the top and check the rings, piston, bore. Hopefully it is just the rings so I can replace them. Possibly pull the rest of the pistons and examine since I already have the oil pan, rod caps and head off.

So to summarize I have issues with rod bearings (worn evenly), #1 exhaust valve and #5 cylinder. Seems to me it would save a lot of time and money (I have estimated a full blown rebuild to be around $2500) to let the engine in the truck and fix the specific issues I have. Do you agree or is this a really half-assed way of going about it? This is not a show truck so I'm not too worried about drips and a little smoke but I just don't want the motor to self destruct.

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Post Sat Aug 24, 2019 11:31 pm

Re: SD220 Leak Down Results

Just my uneducated thought, check the valve guide on # 5? maybe leaking oil in enough to coat the spark plug and smoke? I am not engine guy, like I said, just my thought.

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Post Sun Aug 25, 2019 5:56 am

Re: SD220 Leak Down Results

My understanding is if a valve guide had an issue my leak down test would indicate air escaping from carb or exhaust. Which it wasn’t on #5. It was all heard on bottom end getting past rings.

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Post Sun Aug 25, 2019 6:12 am

Re: SD220 Leak Down Results

For what it's worth,
If I were going that far in, I would re-ring all cyl. Oil control rings can wear out and loose tension, resulting in high oil consumption while still having fair compression. Not that much more to put on 6 ring set as it is to do one.

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Post Sun Aug 25, 2019 7:09 am

Re: SD220 Leak Down Results

cornbinder89 wrote:For what it's worth,
If I were going that far in, I would re-ring all cyl. Oil control rings can wear out and loose tension, resulting in high oil consumption while still having fair compression. Not that much more to put on 6 ring set as it is to do one.


I do agree with you. I thought the same thing after I hit the submit button on this thread. Do you agree based on my info provided I can save a couple thousand $$$ and a bunch of hours by going with a re-ring, deglazing cylinders and swapping in new rod bearings with engine in truck? In addition to shop fixing #1 exhaust valve. This is assuming #5 issue is rings and #1 is only the valve.

Golden Jubilee
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Post Sun Aug 25, 2019 8:49 am

Re: SD220 Leak Down Results

when you find out what size mains, rod bearings and 3 or 4 rings per piston you need, let me know I have a few sets of them. I have no need for them.
kevin

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Post Sun Aug 25, 2019 9:06 am

Re: SD220 Leak Down Results

I had my crank turned and installed new bearings, ran a hone done the cylinders and re ringed them, lapped the valves, been running for 3 years now with no oil consumption , have less than a thousand bucks in it but did all the assembly my self , its a lot easier with the motor out.

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Post Sun Aug 25, 2019 9:12 am

Re: SD220 Leak Down Results

kevin wrote:when you find out what size mains, rod bearings and 3 or 4 rings per piston you need, let me know I have a few sets of them. I have no need for them.
kevin


Definitely will do. Thank you.

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Post Sun Aug 25, 2019 9:13 am

Re: SD220 Leak Down Results

IHC wrote:I had my crank turned and installed new bearings, ran a hone done the cylinders and re ringed them, lapped the valves, been running for 3 years now with no oil consumption , have less than a thousand bucks in it but did all the assembly my self , its a lot easier with the motor out.


Ok good to know
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Post Mon Aug 26, 2019 6:02 am

Re: SD220 Leak Down Results

These old International engines are tough. I had a '46 K-2L when I was in college, and the GRD-214 smoked a bit. So we dropped the pan and pulled the head, saw that the rod and main bearings Plasti-gauged within spec, and decided to just re-ring. Pap dropped one piston, so we ordered a replacement from the IH truck dealer [this was 1973, so it was still available]. We had the other piston skirts knurled. Truck ran great afterwards. We laughingly called that an "in-frame" overhaul, kinda like what some diesel folks do.
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