Piston Ring Question

[b00stingsx]

ok, I got my Topline engine rebuild kit, and upon installing the rings on the pistons, one broke. Is this somthing that i can go get at a local parts store, or would i need to contact Topline to get a replacement?

[JET]

I would talk to Topline or one of their dealers. You will probably have to get a set of rings for one piston.

How did you break it? Did you double check their size to make sure they fit?

[b00stingsx]

yeah tehy fit fine, i got all rings on except for the broken one. I guess i overstretched it.

[JET]

So how much end gap are you running on the rings?

[b00stingsx]

Im kind of new to the whole rebuild process, could you help me out with what that is?

[JET]

Install the rings in the bore and measure the amount of gap between the end of the rings. If you don't do that, the rings may be too close and will expand and bind up, destroying your engine. I would suggest buying a book telling you how to rebuild an engine, or find a good web page. It isn't something you can just throw together without some knowlege.

[Raptor]

Ring gap depends on a number of factors including but not limited to : Finish bore size, piston type, boosted or non and machining method used. You better make sure you know what it should be at for your app or you will end up with a lot of damage as JET mentioned. Building your first motor is many times an expensive learning experience, hope it goes well for you.

Another thing you should really consider is that the ring seal is a huge factor in performance, if you go wide and safe on them, you are losing power through them, so it is a balance to get it right and you should spend the time to understand how far to gap them and why.