Umm, for a spark plug to bend like that something has to hit it.

If the rings are bad wouldn't it make some sort of horrible noise??
would a leakdown test be a wise?

Thats what I was thinking, but it doesnt look like anything hit it on the bottom.
It looks more like it got too hot and bent.. that wouldn't make sense either though, why would it bend up???

Bad rods/bearings make a lot of noise... bad rings just burn a lot of oil.

I highly recommend a compression and leak down test to see what's going on... I suspect you may have cracked a ring land and a chunk of piston hit the spark plug. Something had to have hit it to bend it like that.

This was my thinking as well....

Ok, I am going to do another compression test right now.
If there was someting in the motor bouncing around wouldnt I hear it?

Here's another "fun" picture
Attachment 213460

been there done that:

http://www.boostedmiata.com/blown_en...inepull003.jpg

Ok I ran the compression test:
this time the engine was warm and I had the throttle wide open
1 -156
2 -157
3 -160
4 -160

That isnt bad is it??

No, but you gotta run a leakdown test now. If your oil control rings are failing, you'll have the symptoms you've showed but the extra oil on the rings seals them up. Leakdown test will diagnose leaky rings.

I started to do a leakdown test but the tester I have is bad, but it does pressurize the cylinders.

I can here air coming out of the turbo, making bubbly sounds. Does that mean the oil seals are bad?

I'll have a new leakdown tester later tomorrow, so i will know all the numbers then.

Is it possible that you bent the plug while you were installing it? Like, too many beers and banged it on the valve cover because you missed the spark plug hole?

-Mike

here is a little info on leak down testing

http://autos.yahoo.com/maintain/repa...ques057_1.html

The beer theory is possible, but more likely due to insomnia than alchohol.

So it's the rings then, because air couldnt get to the turbo if the rings were in good shape?

That would be valves not rings unless the air is leaking down the rings into the block and up your oil drain.

that would require bad rings and a bad turbo oil seal, unless i'm mistaken.

Did you read that article I posted?

Yes I did, it tells you pretty much everything the owners manual of the tester tells you and then some :bigtu:

The reason I figured it was the rings, is because you can hear the air coming out of the PCV valve and the breather as well

http://www.boostedmiata.com/blown_engine/pistons.jpg

you just need some JB Weld...it will fix right up.

Damn.

The question now is do i re-build it or just buy another one?

Nick, I have an extra engine just sitting in my 91 parts car, pm me and we can talk about it. I would just call, but can't find your number.

rebuild would be better in the long run; build it how you want. Used is cheaper, faster, easier.