Gotcha. Engine wasn't running, i knew that much. I didn't have the throttle open however...🤦🏼‍♂️

 

May wanna retest then, you may be chasing a problem that doesn't exist.

 

Another update. Redid the compression test correctly this time. About 100 psi was the max. Had it taken to a mechanic to ensure it wasn't a vacuum leak, it's not. there is a faint ticking when accelerating, and a couple louder ticks at first on a cold start, however it doesnt tick when it idles... and again, it's a fairly faint tick, but louder than normal. Still the same issues though...

 

That sounds like what the Hemis suffer with, lifter tick. What brand lifters did you use? My guess (not reading through the thread) you have a life issue or oil pressure issue

 

Oil pressure is fine, and i have a melling high volume pump in there. The lifters i used were just stock replacements, nothing special.

 

You going off the dash gauge or mechanical gauge. I read through this thread. I now beehive its timing

 

Alright, final update. I found the issue.... my rings are bad. I got a feeder camera and ran it through my spark plug holes. And yep, you guessed it, oil all over the pistons (some more than others). So... any thoughts on where I went wrong? I only honed the engine, didn't overbore it. But... I bought standard rings. And, being the inexperienced idiot I am, didn't check ring gaps. That being said, can I still go either standard ring and pistons sizes, or do I need oversize rings and/or pistons? Also, any recommendations on which rings to get? Are file-fit rings a good idea? And how do I check if I have the right piston size?? (They were the same as the stock pistons, just not sure if the honing made the cylinder big enough to warrant needing bigger pistons.

 

Gonna need to tear it down again, and measure the bores. If they are oversized, egg-shaped, or tapered, time to have 'em punched out. (there are specs for that in the service manual.)