Toyota Repair: toyota engine, smog test, piston rings

Question
ok i am having to put oil into my engine about 2 to 3 times a week and i have been told that it is my rings and to use that thick stuff to fill in where the rings should be now my ? is how long can i drive like this and how do i really know if it is my rings.

Answer
Hi Vanessa,

Can you tell me what year, type of car you have and possibly the mileage? How much oil do you replace in a one week period?

Generally, when your piston rings are worn out, you car will use oil. In order to test if your rings are causing poor compression, a 'cylinder compression test' and a 'leak down test' is recommended to see how bad the cylinders really are. Additionally, there are high tech options that some technicians can do, such as using a scope to probe the cylinder and visially see the valves to determine if that's what is causing your oil consumption. I would not recommend that you take your vehicle on a long road trip, but if you would like to drive the car around town you shouldn't have a problem unless the problem is too serious. At this time, your car may not pass a smog test.

I hope this helped.

Drew