Pistons and rings

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Place a ring in the bore, then use a piston inserted upside down into the bore to square the ring.
 
Place a ring in the bore, then use a piston inserted upside down into the bore to square the ring.
 
   
 
   
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==SBC oil ring depth==
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GM has used a both a shallow oil ring and a deep oil ring on SBC engines. The difference is enough between them that if a deep oil ring were to be installed on a shallow oil groove piston, that the ring would bottom out in the groove. This leaves a portion of the ring extending out past the piston and will prevent the piston from being installed. The piston can be damaged if it's forced, and if somehow the piston were to be installed in the bore with the wrong oil ring, the bore and piston could be damaged.
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Using a shallow ring in a deep groove will function normally, but installing the ring on the piston and the piston into the bore will be a chore due to the oil ring trying to pop out of the groove.
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===Identifying what rings to use===
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So you need to determine if you have a piston w/a deep or shallow oil ring groove. A page on what to look for is '''[http://www.hastingsmfg.com/ServiceTips/oil_ring_groove_depths.html Oil Ring Groove Depths]'''.
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Up to 1985 the oil rings were deep (0.195" or thereabouts). From about 1986 to about '95 the shallow rings (around 0.165") were used- but there could still be deep groove pistons being used as well. This was the same time period when the 1-piece rear main seal/roller blocks came on line.
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A page on what to look for is [url=http://www.hastingsmfg.com/ServiceTips/oil_ring_groove_depths.htm]Oil Ring Groove Depths[/url]. Other ring manufacturers have similar info.
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===Metric rings===
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And if that wasn't enough, there were metric rings (2mm x 1.5mm x 4mm) used from about 1992 to 2002 when the LSx series of engines began production. If you had access to the vehicle VIN, the metric ring engines are VIN "'''P'''".
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==BBC oil ring depth==
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The BBC engine from about 1991 to 2000 used a shallow oil groove piston and ring.
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{{Note1}}Info on this is incomplete at this time.
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==Ring end gap location==
 
==Ring end gap location==
 
The ring end gaps need to be located in such a way that they don't align. The rings tend to rotate on their own during the life of the engine, so starting them out as shown will prevent them from aligning, at least not right away.
 
The ring end gaps need to be located in such a way that they don't align. The rings tend to rotate on their own during the life of the engine, so starting them out as shown will prevent them from aligning, at least not right away.

Revision as of 04:59, 11 December 2012

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