Hey guys, I know I'm asking a lot of questions lately, but I just want to do everything right. I bought new rings for my LS pistons. I was told they need to be gapped before installed. I already put them on the pistons, but if they need to be gapped I'll take 'em off. Is gapping necessary? I'm running 8lbs of boost. I don't see how any human can possibly shave a ring as smooth as it is from the factory. By the way I have Hastings rings.

Thanks,

Goldfingiz

 

Hell yes you have to gap them!

The ring spec on my rings was .012". They came new at .002"!

If you do not gap them, they will distort when they expand and you'll be tearing that engine apart real fast.

Sonny

 

yep, gap them according to specs.....i think c-speedracing.com has some how-to's on that.

 

I have the feeling you are confused on gapping. DO NOT TRY TO GRIND THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF THE RING. The gap we are talking about is where the two ends butt together when you insert the ring in the cylinder without the piston. Rings must come off. BTW you don't gap the oil ring.

 

There is a trick ring gapping tool available, too. It's like a little diamond wheel with a hand crank.

 

Well this is not good. All we did was put the new rings onto the pistons, used a cuff type tool that slid over the piston and tightened, then slid the pistons into the cylinders. The car is reassembled but hasn't been run yet...

Goldfingiz

 

I have to admit: My gaps were bigger than specs by just a little...but my car runs fine. it doesnt even show signs of smoke coming out of my exhaust.

 

That's a little reassuring...but I'm still scared =\

Anyone know the stock bore on a b16?

Thanks,

Goldfingiz

 

All Honda B series are 81mm besides the crv which is 84mm i believe

 

Thanks

Goldfingiz

 

Guys I still don't understand. Even after gapping them to make the ring "smaller," they will still expand.

The rings are really supposed to prevent oil blow, AKA oil going back up from the oil pan into the cyclinders and also prevent compression from going back down into the oil pan "area."

Goldfingiz

 

Pull the motor apart. If you did not gap them, they will be tighter then you want, not too loose. A little loose is ok. To tight and the ends will butt...this will scare up the cycl. walls and bend up your ring lands and you will have to pull the motor right apart again anyways and do it all over plus buy new pistons, rings and even bore and hone the block. DONT RUN THE MOTOR!!!!!!

 

Here's the thing...we actually started the car and ran the motor for about a minute. I wasn't blowing smoke, the car was idling fine, there were no wierd noises or anything. Would I know immediately that I'm fine? We also honed the block.

Thanks,

Goldfingiz

 

tear the motor back apart............

if the rings are gapped to tight, the ends will meet when they reach operating temperature, seizing the motor. Let motor cool down and it'll run fine till it heats up again.

283 SBC punched .030 over, they gave us .060 rings and we didn't check the gap.

 

If I gap them, wouldn't the ends be closer together though? Isn't that the point of gapping? Maybe I have the concept wrong =\

Goldfingiz

 

Gapping the rings makes the ring gaps larger.

See my page: http://www.muller.net/sonny/crx/rings/index.html

Tear it back down and do it right while you can. You will get bit in the *** if you don't.

Sonny

 

I agree, tear it down. When the motor heats up, the rings expand. The expansion has to go somewhere. It expands by closing down the ring gap on it's own. If you do not have that room to expand (as others here have said), the rings will bind against the cylinder wall.

But I have a question to you. Why didn't you mention you had already put the engine together and started it in the first post? A lot of us in this forum do this to help the newbs out. WE CAN'T HELP IF YOU ONLY GIVE US PART OF THE SITUATION. Just post everything up front and someone will help. Don't take this personally, many people make us squeeze until we get the whole story out

 

Just called my machine shop. The guy said the rings that I bought aren't rings to gap. I kinda trust him because all he does is build turbo motors and work on heads/blocks/turbo's all day long. I guess I'll just have to pray for the best

Goldfingiz

 

Hastings does not make a gapless ring that I know of.
Total Seal makes gapless rings
Here is a pix of a ring with a gap



Here is a gapless ring pix


WHAT KIND DID YOU INSTALL?. I'm about ready to give up on yo...




[Modified by earl, 2:01 PM 12/7/2002]

 

Just regular Hastings chrome rings for a B16.

Goldfingiz

 

Goldfingiz:

We keep telling you what to do, yet you keep ignoring it.

Perhaps it is because it is not the answer you wanna hear?

Ok, man...run it as is. Yeah, it'll be fast and reliable...yeah, yeah. You'll be back here in less than 500 miles...I would bet money on it. Half-assing it never pays and that is exactly what you're doing! Yeah it's a hassle to take it apart again, but how about when the thing binds up and scores the walls and you have to pay for all new parts AND gap the rings. Sounds like a waaaay better alternative than just gapping the rings now, huh?

Sonny


[Modified by Sonny, 3:51 PM 12/7/2002]

 

Earl, have you used the gapless rings ? And if you have, what kind of results have you seen? Ring gapping is a pain in the **** IMO.

 

before you use the Total Seal gapless rings, you have to have a special hone done to the cylinder wall or the will NEVER seat.

I don;t know of one Honda that has had it done correctly. Most that have used the BASH them because engine smokes.

DUH!!!!

 

I like Sonny's answer

Gapless rings are not a good ring for street use cause they don't last long.
My personal fav is Sealed power rings

 

Never tried them and not sure how to make them work right.
However, I've heard that you need the gap in the upper ring to make the middle ring seal properly. Need to get some pressure to the second ring.