Ring installation and gap clearance

[Mike70gtx]

Had to get a new piston so I'm doing rings. The piston is a sealed power forged piston. The rings the builder (not the original guy) ordered were sealed power E 434K 30. My block is .30 over. When I search I don't get a lot of answers for ring gap and the ones I do get are different. I checked some of the original ones and some of the tops were .10 or 12 and the 2nd ones were around .22. I put one new one in a cylinder and are .20 for top and .23 for the second. Doesn't this sound about right? If I file, do I file from the outside in? Should I even need to file if they all are around .20 for top and .23 for 2nd ring? Is it as much as .40 for oil rings?

 

[LOT]

This has always worked well for me

3.800--3.830 bore
.017 top
.021 second
.024--.028 oil

 

[Mike70gtx]

What if my gap new is already .20 and .23. Will that be close enough?

 

[johnplogii]

Yes

 

[Mike70gtx]

thanks. Any other advice? Just stagger the ring gaps, correct. This will be my first ring install

 

[slamming 6]

Always file from the outside in and make sure to deburr ring after.

 

[TR Custom Parts]

And make sure you put them on with the dots UP. Correct ring in right groove. Don't overlap the oil ring expander.

 

[Bob Davi]

I know this is an old thread; I was searching for ring gap specs as I rebuild my stock bore. The rings that came out of this weer 121K miles, engine running good and no oil burn issues.....top was .030 and second was .018.

After reading through several threads I see numbers all over the place,ie, .14 up to .28, so...I guess it's not as critical as I thought and it appears better to run more gap than less.

I'm gonna shoot for .024 top, and .016 second..??? This will be with 67 Turbo and about 23# boost.

Bob

 

[fastblackracing]

I have always used .020 top ring and .015 second ring as my target build numbers. Never had an issue with these numbers. This was on engines from 400 to 700 HP. On a 3.8 you could probably go .001 tighter. The gaps will open up slightly after seating in also. PM me if you have any thing else I can help you with.

 

[David Husek]

What if my gap new is already .20 and .23. Will that be close enough?

You will be fine.

 

[earlbrown]

I like to run .005" per inch of bore on the top ring, and .006" per inch on the second ring.

A couple extra thou isn't going to hurt anything, but if the ends ever meet BAD BAD things happen!