in addition to a slightly bent valve, i think this has something to do with my 4th cylinder burning oil. this is the 2nd ring out of that cylinder. the top ring and oil control rings were fine, but this one has a weird spot that looks like it didnt seal.


its the dark spot on the top left. whats going on there?


on the bottom of the ring it appears as a shiny spot


here is a pic of the 2nd ring that came out of the same cylinder when i took it apart after having ptw contact in the 3rd cylinder on the dyno last spring. notice its even.

ok, so whats the word? can i contribute oil on my piston to that ring? it was installed properly on the piston with the scraper side down, ring gap was .026 on 84.5mm bore. id like to figure it out so i can correct whatever happened

 

?

 

I'm in for this....

 

Is the ring flat? I'd hazard a guess that either the is bent where the spot is, or the piston was causing the abnormal wear.

 

Spot on, it's bent.

 

how were they clocked.

 

top ring had its gap in line with the left exhaust valve, this 2nd ring had its gap by the left intake valve, 90 degrees from the top ring gap. the oil ring gap was 180 degrees from the 2nd ring gap, so near the right exhaust valve. i think it was the helms specs.


could it have been something in the tune or seemingly more likely a physical thing like bent ring

 

Now me and the mad scientist gotta rip apart the block to replace the piston rings you fried!

 

Lol mad scientist nothing, all this work is done by me. Even the blown welds on the intake manifold.

 

I don't understand why people clock rings. Do they honestly stay in place of where you leave them?

I was unaware there was an index on the ring lands of the piston to prevent them from moving around.

 

So you never clock your rings?

 

oh man.................

i generally follow the gap multipliers provided by the manufacturer, and place the gaps according to the helms. no gaps are ever on a thrust surface, closer than 90 degrees to one another or the top ring gap on the intake side.

i wonder if i tweaked the ring a little filing it down. i always file one side (usually the side of the gap that isnt marked with n50 or the "up" marker) so that i have at least 1 perfectly true surface. the weird spot on my ring is the side that i filed...

 

I want to see someone clock the rings on an engine, run it for a couple days then take the pistons out and verify their position.

--Aaron

 

 

word. the tension on the ring keeps it in the same spot. when you see the piston move in the bore, its not the rings moving its the pistons sliding around the rings which move in the groove.

if you have relevant information to help me identify the source of the discoloration on my ring, then let it fly. if not, then go grab a cup of coffee, sit on the couch and read the helms manual

 

Did you check to make sure the ring is flat and not bent? I take it the motor had a fresh hone when the rings were installed?