I have another question. I just had the PCV valve done. I don't know if it is the answer until I put some miles on it. If it isn't and it is the rings (there are no leaks to be seen). What happens if I don't get the rings done? I'm not going to put a few thousand more into this car. Or what else could be wrong to burn oil. No smoke at all is coming out of the tail pipe. What is the purpose of the rings?

Piston rings serve to keep oil out of the combustion chamber, and to act as a seal to make compression possible.

 

the top two rings are solid metal and seal the combustion chamber between the piston and the cylinder, when the car gets older the rings loose their tension, and their sealing ability, which is why your compression goes down.

 

the lower ring is the oil control ring, its 2 small thin rings that are seperated by a spacer, when this gets older oil is more likely to pass by the rings and be burnt off.

 

another posibility when burning oil could be the valve seals, i wouldn't overlook them.

Valve seals are more likely. Subaru engines are normally very easy on rings, so they don't wear out often.

Subarus usually dont wear rings unless the engine has been overheated. How much oil are you consuming and how many miles on which engine.

 

You are going to have to do a compression check wet/dry as that will tell you if its rings, valve seats or guide seals.

 

nipper