My motor was built about 20k miles ago using 83mm JE pistons and Pauter rods. Recently, I blew the head gasket. So I decided to do the work my self. Since it’s already open, I decided to re-ring the pistons.
Most engine builders recommend to gap the rings at .019 for the top rings and .021 for the bottom ones.
I ordered new rings from JE. The new rings gap is already at .024 for the top ring and .023 for the bottom ring.
I checked my old rings and they were .030 top / .031 bottom. The car was running fine before with that gap, it only used about 1qt of oil every 3k miles.

Should I order return the new rings and order new oversized ones, or just leave them at the current .024/.025 gap?

 

anyone?

 

no send them back and get the right sized rings. and if i'm not mistaken you do have to hone the block for your new rings

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bigbadboy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">no send them back and get the right sized rings. and if i'm not mistaken you do have to hone the block for your new rings </TD></TR></TABLE>

 

but my old rings gap was way bigger than spec and it still ran fine!!
the new rings are bigger than spec, yet .006" smaller than the ones I took out.

 

Here's another one!
https://honda-tech.com/zero...26101

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by X-Mazda 3 Racer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I agree, but I was stating that most people are way too focused on trying to get the ring gap as close as possible. 9 out of 10 times there is a problem with ring end gap, it's because the builder was too ambitious and tried to get the rings as close to butting as possible, and 9 out of 10 times they do just that, they butt. I am a fan of a little looser end gap, only because I have built so many motors now to think otherwise. I will retract my statement, and correct it by saying that having too loose end gap is not always a bad thing. Hell, just as an example, I ran .035 - .040 end gap in Ed Bergenholtz's engine, and that thing sealed up like a charm, never had blowby and makes well over 1400 HP!!! </TD></TR></TABLE>


Modified by turbo1.8 at 5:11 PM 5/28/2007

 

If the old ones were perfect than why are you replacing them.And yes the bores need to be honed for the new rings to seat.I'm guessing you have a stock bore 1.8 (81mm bore).If thats the case I use .0065"/inch for turbo.That's 3.189 x .0065 = .021".Your over that now.

 

I took them out because I blew the head gasket (boost & nitrous) and since it was already open I decided to re-ring and hone, I will be using a Flex-Hone ball honer.

 

I called JE today. They told me to disregard the chart that came with the rings.

For my application, 30 psi of boost, the gap should be minimum of .022 top and .024 for 2nd ring. They also said that .030+ is very common in the drag racing world.
Considering my top rings are already .025, they recommended to just leave them alone (not a big deal at all) and file the 2nd ring to match the top ring or .001 bigger.