G9 Smoking like a cold front

[dcdoc45]

Ok, my cart was smoking a little bit, then it got worse and worse. finally it would not run at all. I figured out the head gasket was blown bad about an inch missing from it right under the exhaust port. Pulled the head and I'm rebuilding it now. There is a ton of carbon buildup on the exhaust valve and the area behind the valve. But funny thing is the piston and the cylinder walls are spotless. Do I need to go ahead and re-ring it, or was the blown gasket, the smoking gun as it where? Also when I pulled the valves out, the seals on both valves where split. If I just rebuild the head and put the seal on the intake like stock should fix it? I really don't want to pull the piston if I don't want to.

[bigstik40]

I'm fairly new to the Golf Carts, but as I see it, as long as you can do the head work without pulling the engine, I think I would go ahead and finish that up and see what you have (you have nothing to lose). You can then run it a while to see how bad it really is. If still smoky, you might have to do rings later, but your head work will still be usable. Probably even be able to re-use the new head gasket.
The fact that the exhaust valve was gunky might be a tip off that it is using oil. You still can do quite a bit of running with bad rings, just keep an eye on the oil level and spark plugs. A couple of quick oil changes may help if the rings are sticky. A switch to straight 30 wt. may also help with oil consumption, after the weather gets warm. Good luck with it, whatever you do.
I'm sure the experts will be along with additional help soon!!

RAY

[bigstik40]

Let us know how you make out. Could be good information for others.

[sho305]

It is likely the oil ring is gone, that is what they do and the compression rings are still ok so it runs but smokes. However I don't know a way of testing that can only tell you that is what happens with them and the cylinder looks great. You might be able to tell how much oil is in the intake port, the piston carbon, and exhaust carbon. If the piston has a lot it may be rings. Usually bad valve guides will smoke more on startup not as much running. The rings will smoke all the time I just put a clone in last year for one of those, well they smoke until the oil gets low.