Piston Ring Orientation

Pulled the head, and removed the cylinder block.  While the head is off for valve service I intend to clean up the pistons.

Seeking feedback and suggestions, and recommendation relative to the following question:
 
Should all ring gaps be put back to the same positions as when the installation was new, or should I reassemble with the gaps located where they are now.

 

I think you should follow the book recommendation.  That's what I do.

10:00,2:00 and 6:00 respectively. The rings will wander a bit over time.
Steve

Good engineering practice is to stagger the gaps at 120 degrees but in reality the rings do rotate in use and line up at times with no loss of performance so it doesn't really make a difference where you put them.

Initially the ring gaps were all arranged per MTC instructions when the kit was installed.  They were locked in those positions with my special ring clamps before sliding the block over the pistons.

Two years and 11K miles later the gaps are now all over the place.

Ok, thanks guys!  I'll rearrange the gaps to the MTC instruction positions, and everything will be just beauteous.  Yeah!

 

 



 

How's the head coming?
Steve

wrote:

How's the head coming?
Steve

 

At this point I am open to suggestions.

The head is cleaned up and ready to be packaged and shipped.  I am considering having work done by Chris Schumann in Milwaukie, Oregon.

He has a head service listing on ebay, as does Pit Stop Performance.  However, with Schumann the return shipping cost is covered.
 
Differing from Pit Stop, Schumann wants the head shipped without camshafts, cam caps, and the buckets/shims.  Says he sets the valve tips to the height measurements taken prior to machining, so the existing lash settings will not change. 

 

wrote:

 Says he sets the valve tips to the height measurements taken prior to machining, so the existing lash settings will not change. 

 

What size shims are installed now?  If they are towards the bottom of the range setting where they are now isn't a good solution.

wrote:

wrote:

 Says he sets the valve tips to the height measurements taken prior to machining, so the existing lash settings will not change. 

 

What size shims are installed now?  If they are towards the bottom of the range setting where they are now isn't a good solution.



 

2.35 is thinnest, and 2.50 thickest

My understanding is the same shims will be reused, since he trims the valve tips to compensate for any height changes.

I would love having them all set at 2.50
Seems like that could easily be accomplished by removing an additional .15mm from the (2.35 shim) valve tip.