Ring Installation

1. Check each ring in its corresponding piston groove to ensure proper axial and radial clearance. 2. Oil ring expander: Place the oil ring expander into the oil groove with the butted tips of the expander 90 from either end of the wrist pin. Be sure the tips of the expander are visible and properly butted . If the expander tips are overlapped, the engine will smoke due to excessive oil use, and engine damage could occur. 3. Oil rails: The oil rails can be installed with either side up. Using a ring expander, install the rails into the oil groove, placing the first rail below the expander, and the second rail above the expander. The rail end gaps should be located at least 90 from each other. After the oil rails are installed, double check that the tips of the expander are properly butted. 4. Second ring: Using a piston ring expander, install the second ring with the marked side up. An unmarked 2nd ring with an inner bevel should be installed bevel side down. If the ring is not marked on one side near the end gap, either side can be up. 5. Top ring: Using a piston ring expander, install the top ring with the marked side up. An unmarked top ring with an inner bevel should be installed bevel side up. If the ring is not marked on one side near the end gap, either side can be up.

Factors effecting oil consumption in a pistion engine

Pistons and rings may have to be replaced if a compression test reveals the rings are not holding a good seal. Taper, distortion or damage in the cylinder bores can be factors, too. Worn rings and/or cylinders will allow a lot of blowby into the crankcase. This reduces power, increases fuel consumption and emissions, and contributes to sludge formation as well as oil dilution (both of which are bad for the bearings). Broken rings and/or cracked pistons are usually the result of detonation (spark knock), which may have a variety of underlying causes (no EGR, overadvanced ignition timing, a buildup of carbon deposits in the combustion chamber, cheap gas, engine overheating, etc.). Either of these conditions will also increase blowby and oil consumption.

Replacement rings come in various types, styles and sizes. Standard size rings are okay if the cylinders are not worn excessively (which requires measuring taper with a cylinder bore gauge). Oversized rings are required if the cylinders are worn and are bored to oversize. Ring size will also depend on the pistons used (shallow groove or deep groove as well as groove height). Most late model engines have "low tension" piston rings that are thinner and narrower to reduce internal friction. Some are as small as 1.2 mm but the most common size is 1.5 mm. Rings designed for standard grooves must not be used in shallow groove pistons, nor should narrow rings be used in deep groove pistons. Chevrolet in particular has used a variety of different piston and ring combinations on some of its engines, so make sure the parts are properly matched. The ring material as well as the facing (chrome or moly) should match the original application or be a suitable substitute for the original rings. Some high output and turbocharged engines use steel or ductile iron rings rather than plain cast iron rings. Rings are sometimes damaged by improper installation. A ring expander should be used to mount the rings on the pistons. This will minimize the risk of breaking or twisting the rings. A ring compressor will be needed to install the pistons in the block. Cylinder bores must also be properly reconditioned when the rings are replaced, which means honing the bores or using a glaze breaker according to the ring manufacturer recommendations. The finish and crosshatch in the cylinder bores must match the requirements of the rings that are used (moly requires a smoother finish than chrome or plain cast iron). The cylinders must also be cleaned after honing or deglazing (scrubbing with soapy water works best) prior to engine reassembly. A light coat of oil is needed to lubricate the new rings. Pistons may have to be replaced if worn or damaged, or if the cylinders are bored to oversize to compensate for wear. The type of replacement pistons that will be needed will depend on the engines compression ratio, the size of the bores (standard or oversize) and how the engine will be used (normal service or severe service). Maintaining the stock compression ratio is the best advice because too much compression can lead to engine damaging detonation. Some engines today have compression ratios of up to 10:1, which is possible with EFI and computerized engine controls. But for older engines, compression should be limited to 9:1. Most stock pistons are made of cast aluminum, but stronger hypereutectic pistons are used in many late model engines. Hypereutectic pistons are made of an aluminum alloy that contains a higher amount of silicon than ordinary cast pistons. Silicon improves hardness and wear resistance. For performance applications and diesels, forged pistons are usually required.