Can resleeving cylinders and getting new piston rings restore an engine's compression?

GM Engines are reliable, at 116,000 miles, it shouldn't need an engine rebuild yet. You could do a compression test to the engine, and with the results, determine the engine's health. If the compression is good there is no need to spend all that money doing a rebuild (you can find normal compression ratings from repair manuals or ask the dealership).

Engine work adds up to big $$$$$ in a hurry. Once you pull apart an engine, you are looking at (minimum) rings, maybe bearings depending on whether you took care of the car (oil changes). Not to mention the valves, why take it apart if you aren't doing a valve job with new seals.... Etc etc etc. Sure there is a "minimum" repair, like you mention rings, for example, but the labor costs so much that you are throwing money away.

I agree with other poster- drive it into the ground. It's probably a small car (you mention 4-cylinder) so compare thousands in repairs with its value.

GM FOUR BANGERS are the BOTTOM of the heap and unreliable! Gm do3es NOT care what hap-pens after 100k miles on it's SMALL engines! Their staple product is the mighty REVISED 350 CHEVY engines ONLY! IT does NOT make any sense to buy this car or repair this car! It is NOT worth the time of day! The ECO TECH is only good if it is a CAST IRON BLOCK! I CAN HELP YOU KEEP IT RUNNING if you like but it is NOT a GREAT< or even GOOD engine design or made to last very long! IF it is using oil , there are several OTHER causes! first remove and smell the dipstick! if it smells from GAS< then you need to have your THROTTLE BODY and IDLE AIR CONTROL system cleaned up! it is STARVING for more AIR SUPPLY< and the results wil be excessive OIL USE< as it thins down with FUEL over time! Use ONLY MOBIL ONE 0W-30 oil and AUDI or BENZ coolant and rid i of the DEXCOOL that caused GM to file for bankruptcy protection! use BOSCH or DENSO iridium plugs as well as the factory mexican plugs are ALSO junk! I am an ENGINE RESTORATION specialist and know EXACTLY how to keep things going the longest! LIST ENGINE SIZE and CAR TYPE here as there are different answers for EACH engine GM made! Their 3.8 liter V6 is as trusty as a MAYTAG> but is NOT all that efficient! They do NOT make a reliable FOUR CYLINDER engine at ANY TIME! FORD makes much better FOUR BANGERS by a LONG SHOT and you can expect about 350-400k miels of good use from them as well! BYE NOW!

The cylinders go bad before the engine block. So I recommend you get new piston rings. I cannot give a price for what a shop charges. My neighbor goes 100mph he ruined his pistons not the block. So don't get too worried. It's called the "manufacturing weak point."

I wouldn't spend a dime on a 4 cylinder GM motor if it's still running and not burning oil. By the time you spend $2000 to $3000 or more to have rings and a valve job you'd be better off just buying a new car!

Over-boring and refitting with larger pistons and rings is the normal rebuild process. Sleeving is for damaged cylinders. Although you may not need to rebuild everything, you will need to disassemble everything. (read labor intensive). You will need to diagnose what you need to repair before you tear into it, i.e. a leakdown test. You may find bearings need to be replaced and the valves need attention. A new complete engine less carb, intake, distributor, and water pump is about $2700.00. Figure another $300 for hoses, ignition wires, fluids and motor mounts, and maybe another $1000 for labor.

If the cylinder bores are worn that badly the pistons will be shot and need replacing as well.

If the pistons and bore are OK, you may get away with just rings.

If the pistons are worn, but the bores are OK, then new pistons and rings.

If the cylinder bores are worn, then most older engines can be re-bored to a slightly larger diameter, and oversize pistons and rings fitted.

Are the rings coked up or what? You must not bore anything until you measure , out of round , taper, and wear. Rings and gaskets can be cheap, but skilled labor is not.

Unnecessary machine work is not recommended.

BUT do they offer a crate engine you would want for the same or less?

Then you can drop in a guaranteed replacement, and go play with the old one somewhere, till you can answer your own questions, like voc tech night school or something fun for you.

Lsj Crate Engine

Yup, but you have to shop the cylinder heads too or it's a waste of time on the bottom end of the engine and you will be pulling the head(s) off again to do it right.