Most high performance and racing engine builders purchase piston rings slightly oversized in order to file fit them to very precise end gaps. An accomplished engine builder and technical expert, he will focus on the tech-heavy content that is the foundation of EngineLabs. NADP Full billet extreme race trans. There’s also a spec for the minimal endgap clearance for the upper and lower rings for a three-piece oil ring set. One key to a successful engine build is paying attention to the details. The larger bore scribes a larger circumference ring, which means it will grow more when subjected to the same heat as a smaller diameter ring. For example, a mild street engine gap recommendation of 0.0045-inch per inch of bore would put a 4.030-inch bore small-block at a 0.018-inch top ring gap. Contact: MAHLE Aftermarket GmbH Pragstraße 26 - 46 D-70376 Stuttgart. Even with a 0.005-inch oversize, there should be a small gap in the ring. With enough expansion, the ring can actually seize the piston. The antitrust authorities have given their approval. A torque plate should be attached to the engine block or cylinder (if applicable), and torqued to specifications. © 2017 Power Automedia. Cause - Piston rings worn past the maximum ring end gap spec, glazed cylinder walls Reason - This is the most common problem we see. An important note when filing rings with a manual ring grinder is to always turn the handle so that the abrasive cuts inward. Hastings Part No. For the average builder, a manual ring filer will get the job done, and there are several on the market for under $50. Even in a mild case where the ring ends barely touch, the result can be a heavily scored cylinder wall and serious piston-ring-land damage due to this excessive load. Typically, file-fit rings are designed so they measure 0.005-inch oversize (obviously larger than the cylinder bore size). MAHLE Light Vehicle Piston Rings. It’s also a good idea to chamfer the opposite side as it’s not uncommon to find sharp edges there as well. Set. Build your own custom newsletter with the content you love from Chevy Hardcore, directly to your inbox, absolutely FREE! 1. Stay tuned for more ℂℍ brought to you by TOTAL SEAL PISTON RINGSSPREAD THE WORD LIKE.COMMENT.SHARE, Posted by Total Seal Piston Rings on Friday, October 4, 2019. As an example, on a recent 5.7-liter LS build using stock replacement rings on a fresh, standard 3.898-inch bore, we measured a top ring gap of 0.025-inch. Once the ring is square in the bore, start with a feeler gauge that fits with a slight drag and work up in 0.001-inch increments until achieving a snug fit. Keith Black hypereutectic pistons are designed to position the top ring very close to the top of the piston. Should I File Top Ring 0.018 Or 0.020. Cylinder bore should be free of taper. 2. Check for Proper Ring End Gap Failure to ensure proper ring end gap may cause the ring tips to butt, and engine damage could occur. Sneaking up on the clearance takes more time, but ensures accuracy. Top Ring The top ring is exclusively a compression ring, meaning its function is to seal the expanding combustion gases above the piston. 7). This is where we apply the art of filing ring gaps. When you shop for high performance piston ring sets, you’ll no doubt find there are many different sets and styles available (no big secret). Jeff Smith, a 35-year veteran of automotive journalism, comes to Power Automedia after serving as the senior technical editor at Car Craft magazine. Form Dodge Service Manual. Featured are MAHLE Motorsport's tech video's and instructional video's that offer an in-depth discussion into the latest in piston technology. TH-20-14 MAHLE Thermostats. These are based on different user applications. MAHLE makes an important point about excessive chamfer. Use this chart to determine the proper end gap for your engine. If we go back to a standard ring set for an LS1 that had a 0.025-inch gap for a 3.889-inch bore, then overshooting by even 0.005-inch on a 4.030-inch bore would still be within reason. Top Ring Seems To Tight. Chevy Hardcore NEWSLETTER - SIGN UP FREE! An alternate method is to measure the clearance without having to do any calculations by setting the bore gauge to read zero at the piston measurement. 1-623-587-7400. In this example, Mahle set up the bore gauge to measure the actual bore size. This applies more heat into the ring, which requires a larger top-ring clearance compared to other pistons of the same size. As we’ve seen, ring endgap specs are given as a clearance-per-inch of the bore. A normally aspirated 350 small-block Chevy with a 4.00-inch bore utilizing a 0.004-inch top-ring spec would only require a 0.016-inch top-ring endgap. If enough heat is present, the ends of the ring could even touch. This is because the block will expand more than its iron counterpart. Set. © 2020 Power Automedia. Have a suggestion? In MAHLE’s demonstration, they showed where an excessive 0.030-inch wide chamfer is equivalent to increasing the ring-end gap from 0.018-inch to 0.045-inch. PISTON RING TO PISTON RING CROSS REFERENCE Manuf. With increased gaps on the second ring, the top-ring seal is enhanced with minimal pressure present underneath the top ring. Part No. The first thing to do is to measure the existing gap. Excessive chamfer can have the same effect as increasing the gap. After each filing operation, you must then dress the end of the ring to remove any burrs that could scratch the cylinder wall. Set. (4) Cyl. We promise not to use your email address for anything but exclusive updates from the Power Automedia Network. Jones told us not to stress over small gap overshoots. Heat is the main variable for setting up custom top- and second-ring endgaps. ℂℍ ℝ ℂ •••You spoke and we listened. While this works, be aware that most manufacturers err on the conservative side and deliver an increased gap in the top ring. We’ve reproduced a ring end gap recommendation chart from JE Pistons that lists multiple top-ring and second-ring end gaps based on how the engine will be used. It’s very easy to cut the ring at an angle, which must be avoided. On the first two or three rings, this may take several measurements to get a relatively accurate turn count on the machine. If you live on a desert island and are forced to assemble an engine, then that might be acceptable. If there is, it would be very small — in the range of 1 or 2 lb-ft of torque. That’s the reason for the increased clearance. This makes the cut from the outside to the inside on a ring, and minimizes damage to the ring face. Stuttgart/Germany, February 1, 2021 - With effect from February 1, 2021, MAHLE has taken over the air conditioning business in Japan, Thailand, and the USA from the former Keihin Corporation (now Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.). After each cut, inspect the gap to make sure the cut is square. This will prevent damage to the cylinder wall and also the piston, when the ring is installed. Our Technical Sales team has started putting together -- videos for all the how to questions our customers may have. Another variable comes into play if using an aluminum block. You will also need a ring squaring tool to ensure each ring is square in the bore as you fit it. So if it takes 15 turns to establish the proper gap for a second ring, then start with a new ring at around 12 turns and measure the gap. The most complete range of Mahle piston rings online. Shine a light under the ring to ensure the face is flush. Our experience with an electric cutting tool is to treat it just like a manual and to sneak up on the cutting process rather than take all the material off in one cut. The flat top of the piston will square the ring in the bore and the best part is this tool costs nothing. You may have seen guys filing rings by pushing a ring across a file clamped in a vise. DDP 90 hp injectors, Silver bullet 66 turbo, Ats exhaust & intake, Volant ram air box, Fass 150, Stage 2 cp3, ARP head stud's, ZEX 200 shot … TOOLS & LUBRICANTS. HOURS: M-F 7am-5pm MST. Supercharged and turbocharged engines tend to do this to protect the rings from excessive heat. Featured are MAHLE Motorsport's tech video's and instructional video's that offer an in-depth discussion into the latest in piston technology. OIL CONTROL RING 0.25-0.55 mm (0.010 - 0.022 in.) By working with increasingly larger feeler gauges, we’ve seen a 0.002 to 0.003-inch improvement in accuracy. We'll send you the most interesting Chevy Hardcore articles, news, car features, and videos every week. When using a manual ring filer, start by making six to ten turns of the disc with light pressure on the ring, and then recheck the clearance. Belt-driven supercharged engines need even larger gaps than turbocharged or nitrous engines. We experimented with a used set of rings and discovered that a steel top-ring requires much more effort to both file and chamfer, while iron rings are much softer and easy to damage. Moly facings can sometimes chip if cut from the inside to the outside edge. Manuf. To accomplish this, we’re going to need some specialized tools. Toll Free US: 1-800-874-2753 . But there are plenty of important details that need to be considered before hacking away at the top and second rings. Manuf. If we go back to the ’70s, we can find the S-A Design book The Chevrolet Racing Engine, written by Bill Jenkins. Sometime later, engine builders discovered that widening the second-ring endgap actually reduced pressure captured between the two rings. This is created to increase the volume in this area to minimize pressure buildup. Part No. That race engine will create much more heat in each combustion event, which will be transferred directly to the pistons and rings. End gap is the clearance between the two ends of a piston ring as it is installed in a cylinder (fig. INTERMEDIATE RING 0.85-1.15 mm (0.033 - 0.045 in.) (6) Cyl. (1) Cyl. According to Wiseco, for a normally aspirated street engine, it recommends 0.004-inch per inch of bore size. In a MAHLE tech video, they spend a significant amount of time on this, revealing that excessive chamfer applied to the outside edge of the ring is the equivalent of increasing the gap dimension. MAHLE successfully completes Keihin acquisition. Part No. Hastings Part No. Search Our Catalog. 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As heat is applied to a metal – like a piston ring – it will expand. Cutting iron is much easier than steel top-rings, so the count will be different between a top ring and a second ring if they are of different materials. Performance engine builders know that if you sweat the little things, the engine will make good power, be responsive to tuning, and generally deliver on its end of the bargain. This way, if you make a small mistake and over-shoot the gap by 0.002-inch, you won’t lose sleep over the error. Home; Motorsports; Tech Information ; MAHLE Motorsport Technical Video Library. It’s always best to go with the recommendation from the company that manufactures the rings being used. This may be just one small step for the engine builder – but it’s an important one. Since 167, Total Seal has been the authority in piston ring design and technology for Vehicle, Diesel, Industrial, Marine and Aviation applications. AP-90-12 Medium … Form Dodge Service All 6 Top Rings Came Out At 0.016 All 6 Intermediate Rings Came Out At 0.041 All 6 Oil Control Rings Came Out at 0.020. This is likely more information than you expected for setting ring endgaps. If the rings are worn past the maximum specification they allow combustion chamber gases to seep past the rings and down the piston skirt causing a distinct deposit pattern. Download [PDF; 2086 KB] Download [PDF; 2086 KB] Thermostats. This can directly bleed off the precious cylinder pressure that is so difficult to achieve. MENU. Because piston rings need to be expanded to fit over the diameter of the piston itself before they find their home in the ring grooves, they have to be split in some way in order to allow installation. Maximum ring gap is an important part of ring performance in that too much gap results in lost compression, power loss, and ultimately poor oil control. Now that we have established the technical specs, we can dive into procedures. We will safeguard your e-mail and only send content you request. Manuf. TC-10-19 MAHLE Turbochargers. Straightness affects gap accuracy. Because the ring is contained in the cylinder, the initial cold gap will close as heat is applied. Most piston ring manufacturers recommend a minimum end gap of.004 inches times the bore diameter for the top piston compression ring. But it’s clear that doing this job correctly can and will pay off in engine performance. According to Total Seal’s Keith Jones, a builder can run a slightly tighter tolerance on an aluminum block. During the piston’s combustion cycle, cy… This larger gap may hurt the ring seal slightly, but it would still perform properly and may not necessarily show up on a leak-down test. All rights reserved. This, of course, makes more heat in the combustion chambers and subsequently requires wider top-ring gaps. As an example, a 4.030 KB hypereutectic piston requires a 0.0065-inch per inch of bore – or 4.03 x 0.0065 = 0.026-inch. Manuf. We’ve personally witnessed the upper section of a brand-new hypereutectic piston that snapped off at the oil return slots from a seized top ring, due to insufficient end gap. Check the end gap by placing the ring into the cylinder. I Believe … Piston Ring instal. The bore gauge reads zero at 4.040-inches. Features & Benefits Of MAHLE Motorsport Coatings, 4032 or 2618 - Choosing The Right Piston Alloy, Checking Piston To Valve Clearance Part 1, Checking Piston To Valve Clearance Part 2, Additional Technical Video's & Product Features, 2020 Ring End Gap & Instruction Information, 2020 Ring Gap & Instruction Information [PDF; 766 KB], Featuring Clearance & Compression Calculations For Piston Sets2020 Application Guide, © by MAHLE, Inc., Farmington Hills 2005 - 2021, Prohibition and declaration of substances. They each have specific features and functions. Start with a feeler gauge that easily fits the gap. The Compression Ratio Calculator and 2020 Ring End Gap Instruction Information is also available for download. Drop us a line at media@totalseal.com and one of our specialists can review and assist with your specific inquiry. OIL CONTROL RING 0.25-0.55 mm (0.010 - 0.022 in.) Features & Benefits Of MAHLE Motorsport Coatings. This is an ancient Childs & Albert tool we still use occasionally. But a normally aspirated 540ci big-block Chevy with a 4.50-inch bore would require a larger 0.018-inch top-ring endgap. It stands to reason that a large gap at the end of the ring makes for an easier leak path. This position affects end-gap specs. Overshooting slightly on a top ring isn’t cause for concern either. Ring end gap should be measured with the ring square in the bore on a fresh hone. The Compression Ratio Calculator and 2020 Ring End Gap Instruction Information is also available for download. This information should be considered any time piston rings are being replaced. Part No. Cylinder should be free of any taper. For the 2nd compression ring,the standard end gap recommendation for most stock engines is typically.005 in. Is there a measurable power difference between these two gaps? Even a 0.001-inch increase in bore diameter will create roughly a 0.003-inch difference in the endgap. The ideal situation sees this gap held to an absolute minimum. Download [PDF; 3440 KB] Download [PDF; 3440 KB] PR-40-16 MAHLE Performance Piston Rings. First up, Kevin Studaker will show you the basics to our Power Ring Filer. In MAHLE’s demonstration, they showed where an excessive 0.030-inch wide chamfer is equivalent to increasing the ring-end gap from 0.018-inch to 0.045-inch. According to engineering sources at Vortech superchargers, centrifugally supercharged Pro Mod engines demand upwards of 900 to 950 horsepower just to drive the blower. For the driver's side pistons, the bottom oil ring rail gap should be at the 8 o'clock position, the oil ring expander gap between 11 and 1 o'clock and the top oil ring rail gap at 4 o'clock. If you don’t want to buy a ring filer, then either borrow the right tool from a friend, or just skip this part about custom-filing ring gaps. Setting ring gaps should only be attempted on a finished bore. Without an effective combustion seal, of course, these gases leak around the sides of the piston, resulting in a power-robbing process known as blow-by. Virtually all current automotive applications have three rings per piston, commonly called the top ring, the second ring, and the third ring. 385 CALL 269-945-2491 Visit us at www.hastingsmfg.com 800-776-1088 FED MOG/SEALED POWER (Cont.) An Iowa native, Smith served a variety of roles at Car Craft before moving to the senior editor role at Hot Rod and Chevy High Performance, and ultimately returning to Car Craft. PISTON RING GAP CHART TOP RING 0.26 - 0.36 mm (0.010 - 0.014 in.) 2020 Motorsport Ring Gap & Filing Instructions [PDF; 589 KB] 1mm, 1mm, 2.0mm File Fit & Drop In - 1.5mm, ... MAHLE’s ultra flat ring flanks and precision finish also maximize ring to piston sealing. The main reason for this is: a high-output supercharged engine must generate significant power just to drive the supercharger. 1-The "top" ring will have it's "dot" up and either no chamfer/bevel . There are also specific gaps for the second ring. Still Have questions ? (3) Cyl. In this example, we’ve exaggerated the chamfer to illustrate what to avoid. Once you are confident in the number, it would be smart to start each new ring with roughly 80 percent of that total count. Normally aspirated drag engines will move the ring closer to the top. The issue that adds complexity is the engine builder must account for a given amount of heat in the cylinder. Then, work up in thicker sizes to slightly expand the ring into the bore. PISTON RING GAP CHART TOP RING 0.26 - 0.36 mm (0.010 - 0.014 in.) The difference is evident on the dyno and the track. We like to begin the process by filing the second ring. 2005 3500. After each cut, always dress all four edges of the trimmed side with a whetstone. We experimented with a used set of rings and discovered that a steel top-ring requires much more effort to both file and chamfer, while iron rings are much softer and easy to damage. That means the engine must burn 900hp worth of additional fuel just to drive the blower. Power Ring Filer RING COMPRESSORS RING SQUARING TOOL …