my compression test results

[chisox7858]

so i have a 98 gsx with 79k on it. from 1st to 4th cylinder i had 170-161-170-168. i think these look pretty good, but should i worry about #2?

 

[chisox7858]

also im burning quite a bit of oil, so it looks like its my valve seals, not pistons or rings. would u guys agree?

 

[ThingyNess]

The 161 really isn't that much to worry about. The "service limit" is usually 25psi less than the other cylinders in most factory repair manuals, and I've seen people drive with one cylinder 50psi down on compression with little ill effect. The valve seals themselves wouldn't cause any loss of compression -- if you can get your hands on a leakdown tester you can use it to pretty easily figure out where your compression is going - it's going to be either a valve not seating right, or out the rings.

As for the oil burning, you can sometimes pinpoint what's causing the oil burning by observing when it tends to happen.

Does it burn blue more at idle? Just when you start from a stop off idle? At wide open throttle when you're beating on it?