any tests to see if piston rings are the right way round?

MrMatteh

MrMatteh

MrMatteh

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I've just had one of those awful moments... you know the ones where you can't be sure if you've done something or not

anyhow. When assembling my engine today, I took my time and did it all by the book, however, I cannot for the life of me remember checking one of the pistons to make sure the rings were the right way up (labelled TOP). Either that's because I simple didn't, or because it's all blurred in to one :(

so now I've got to take it all apart just to be sure! unless there are tests I can do? I just can't risk it :(

arghh, not fair :(
 
If, like you say, youve done it by the book then you have probley done it right.

But........

Decisions decisions matey
 
A guy on the Integra forum recently had to rip apart his freshly built engine as he had installed the rings without checking which way round they should be.

Take it apart, check it's done properly, first time. Can you imagine how annoyed you'd be if they weren't right?
 
It's not worth risking it matey, just hope when you do take it apart again that you did put it in the wrong way round so you can feel happy :p
 
Take it apart - it's the only way to be sure.

I went out on a limb when I rebuilt my engine wondering if I'd done something or not - ended up blowing a head gasket within 30 mins of running, school boy error :-(
 
I personally can't see how a plain steel ring matters what way up it goes, but the oil control ring might matter. I also wouldn't risk it because I don't know if they are case hardened on one side and not the other or what. Best to strip it back down again and check it in my opinion.
 
Jonny69 said:
I personally can't see how a plain steel ring matters what way up it goes,
Click to expand...

The problem is that they aren't usually plain. The inside edge of the top ring is often tapered to help the combustion pressure push the ring out, and the outside of the second ring often has step on the lower edge to help with scraping off any oil that gets past the oil control rings.
 
Could also* cause greater wear to the bore and a higher chance of the ring shattering.

*I have only ever heard this spoken as theory, I have yet to see any physical evidence.
 
Dogbreath said:
The problem is that they aren't usually plain. The inside edge of the top ring is often tapered to help the combustion pressure push the ring out, and the outside of the second ring often has step on the lower edge to help with scraping off any oil that gets past the oil control rings.
Click to expand...
Good info, thanks for that :)
 
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