I have OEM 20 over pistons and a 20 over block. I checked the #2 rings by putting them in the cylinder and pushing them down with the pistons. Ive only checked my #2 rings because Im stumped on how to get them outta the cylinder. What do I do? Pull the oil squirters and continue to push the rings out the bottom with the piston?

Question 2: My end clearance on the #2 rings are all .029 This is more than the haynes manual says, but Im not sure because these are 20 over, and the manual says more gap is not critical unless its .039 or more. Thanks in advance, the reason Ive only checked these rings is because I dont know how to properly get them out to try the other ones. Thanks.

 

I checked all the other rings and the #1 ended up being .020 so they are significantly smaller than the .029 of the bottom one, if anything this will just be safer? I read somewhere that its sometimes better to open up the bottom ring a little more. If this isnt true I just sound stupid.

And I ended up just pulling the rings out with my hands, no where near as smooth as the pistons pushed them down, but nothing to worry me.

 

You do not want your ring end gap too small in a turbo motor. If it is too small you might crack a ring land or take a chunk out of the top of the piston when the ring expands under compression. As far as ring end gap goes it depends on what type of pistons and rings you have. If they are stock use factory specifications in the manual. I usually match the rings end gap also. Like if the first ring is .032 then all the cylinder's first rings would be .032.

 

I just built my mahle piston motor with very large gaps. .028 on the top/second ring. I was thinking they sent wrong rings but was impatient to wait for another set. Then I measured the old motor at .025 and they had great seal. So I decided to run the .028 for experiment sake. Results are the rings seal is fantastic with no blowby. I have read about experiment of running large gaps on second ring with possitive results.

I know from this I will never run tight gaps. I wish I knew exactly how much expansion there is for our apps. If the gap closes after the ring expands you are in trouble.

 

when i was building my nissan... my end ring gap was bigger then stock and so was my bore... my teacher told me that the end gap also depends on how much blowby you want for what you are building the motor for... my 2cents

 

Knowing you are currently running large gaps makes me feel a heck of a lot better.

Thanks to all of you, I was freakin/bummed out for a week because of this.