Hi all I am just wondering what the usual signs are for the "infamous" ring land problems that are associated with cracked ringlands in the ej25?I see some people say oil consumption goes up dramatically and also others saying a compression test will show whereas other people say the compression test didn't show anything. Is there usual any sure signs before pulling down a motor to find out? Any usual smoking under load or under idle etc etc.
Any help greatly appreciated.

fouling the spark plug with oil is a good sign
compression test
metal in the oil ( sparkly partials ) cut the oil filter open and wash out in fuel using a clear container, leave it settle for a few hours they look underneath the container with out shaking it up. if is done a bore / started to chop a piston and ring it will sparkle like xmas.

All I have stripped down have lost the tension from the rings, these in turn broke the ring landing with most taking out the bore.

Be sure to replace with forge pistons, acl race bearings, and oil windage tray & send the crank to tony knight at knight race engines SA to get the crank correctly oil phased.

loss of power, smokey exhaust -esp at startup, oil in intercooler (&therfore may 'leak oil'), harder to start (cranks longer) - although they all vary & any effects will overtime get worse, untill your driving around a smokey, oily wrx with no more power than a camary lol

__________________
my05 STi
my13 Rok

:)