File fit

[cervidog]

Befor I start the process of file fitting my rings is there anything I ott to know other than what the directions are telling me?

[kbartley]

It's best to look up you're piston manufacturer. Find you're piston & it's use. May tell you how much end gap, etc. etc. what brand piston do you have?

[markdunlap]

Go slow, check often, file only one end, hold ring square to the filing surface, hold up to a lite with ends butted to see if you are staying square.

File from outside inward to keep from chipping a moly ring.

The second land ring, if cast, will file faster than the top, so don't over gap the fist one of them.

Get a ring square tool to go in your bore to check the end gap. Or use a cap off a pen to put the ring in the bore square to check end gap.

Deburr the ends every time you stick them in the block bore to minimize scratching the bore. Use a knife stone to deburr.

It pays to get the hand turn rotary wheel type tool and clamp it up in your vise.

You don't need the electric version and they are over priced.

Check the oil ring rails too, just to make sure they are the right ones as far as gap range listed with instructions. You should not have to alter them if they are correct size for your bore.

Check the oil ring expander to see it butts up with some tension. Depends on if it is low or standard tension how much, but it should have some.

Keep the rings organized by bore as the gap will vary .003" for every .001" bore difference.

Gap you rings before final assembly because it is a dirty process. Have some light oil on bores to catch dirt and limit scratching, then wipe out the bores with a paper towel.

[cervidog]

WOW thats a lot,thanks Mark. They are Icon forged that came w/ my scat rotating assembly.It came with a lot of info to use.They recommend .004 per inch.so 4.165 bore X .004 = 0.01666. or .016 thousands gap

[markdunlap]

Whatever top ring gap you use, go about .004" more on the second ring gap.

This helps whatever blowby that gets by the top ring to go thru the second ring without causing ring flutter, which is a bad thing.

[roadkill2]

Print out and save Mark's instructions in your Engine Building Reference book.

Wonderfully simple and concise instruction . . .

[curtisreed]

I'm a little late to this party but Mark has covered most things. One thing I would add is that if this is your first time gapping rings. Do your second rings first. If you miss and get one to wide it won't be as big of a deal having too much gap on them. By the time you're done with those you should have it down and hit your target gap better on the top rings.

Curtis

[cervidog]

Well thats done.Wernt to bad,Only had to file couple thous off of top ring and all the seconds were .018 as were the oil rings.The thing I am trying to remember now is witch one of those oil galley plugs do you have to grind down so it doesn`t block the galley on a sbc.