How much oil do people put into the actual spark plug hole to see if the rings are bad?
I have a feeling that it has more to do with my head than my pistons but would like to double check.
Any thoughts on the variance of more than 15psi on the #4 cylinder.

Thanks

UPDATE
Well it snowed so I had to cancel my leak down test.
Snow is gone now and did a warm compression test with the following results
205.215.225.210

I did a wet test as well with the following results
245.265.265.270

Thoughts or comments on block condition.

 

how much boost are you running? and are you on stock internals?

 

From those numbers, can I assume that you performed the test on a cold motor?

 

yup, on a cold motor.
I was running 5.5 to 10 pounds of boost.
When I got my car back last year I noticed that my timing was way retarded at a big 3 degrees at 10 pounds at 5000rpm.
I am in the process of putting the car back to stock for a smog check due soon and would like to keep the motor stock.
If I have to, I will build it if my motor is damaged
Oh, my car eats a quart of oil each gas fill up!!!!

 

each gas fillup?! something is wrong, i just dont know what.. good luck

 

Do a leakdown test. Chances are #4's rings aren't sealing as good anymore.

Due to intake manifold design, and placement in the engine compartment #4 runs leaner and hotter than the other cylinders.

 

Get the car up to operating temp and do the test again. Back when I had my Civic, I did a compression test when the engine was cold and got all kinds of crazy numbers. Some guys said to warm up the engine and try again. I did that and the numbers were spot-on across the board.

 

Go with Chris's suggestion of a leakdown. With that much oil consumption, something ain't right.

 

215psi is quite low compared to my JDM motor which read 260psi on all cylinders.

I did my test on a cold engine.

 

On a wet test you put 1 to 2 squirts of oil in the cylinder. If the numbers do not come up with the wet test the leak you have is somewhere on the top half in the head somewhere. The rule of thumb is you have a problem if one cylinder has more than 15 psi difference between the rest. Good luck