<VV> Oil ring question

[Bob Tarpenning]

The most important thing is the ring gap.  I had a '48 Hudson that had been
overhauled by a professional mechanic (?).  He had honed the cylinders out
to .010 oversize then found out that Hudson didn't make .010 pistons.  He
put the originals back in with Chevrolet rings.  I bought the car.  It
didn't smoke and ran good.  I drove it from Ft. Worth to Pueblo, Co. to the
street rod nationals, about 1500 miles round trip.  Used 15 quarts of oil.
My friend that followed me said it didn't smoke except when I hit passing
gear and just a little puff.  When I took it down to find the trouble, I
found .145 ring gap.  The moral to the story is check your ring gap.

Bob T

-----Original Message-----
From: virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org
[mailto:virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org] On Behalf Of Mark Durham
Sent: Tuesday, September 18, 2012 1:13 PM
To: Karl Haakonsen; BobHelt at aol.com
Cc: virtualvairs at corvair.org
Subject: Re: <VV> Oil ring question

Karl, if you put the rings in the correct pattern, that is all you can do.
As a FYI, once broke in, the rings will move around anyway. Mark Durham

Sent from my Windows Phone
From: Karl Haakonsen
Sent: 9/18/2012 10:15
To: BobHelt at aol.com
Cc: virtualvairs at corvair.org
Subject: Re: <VV> Oil ring question
Thanks Bob,

I did actually notice that the compression rings do have the word "TOP"
printed in small letters on one side.... while I was putting the rings on
the second piston.... So I pulled out the first one, and of course, they
were upside down. So I fixed that.

I put the ring gaps in the orientation that you show in your "Classic
Corvair" book... though I notice that they move somewhat when applying the
ring compressor (not to mention if you end up turning the piston at all
during the assembly process. I'm not sure if they are anywhere near the
original orientation now that the pistons are inside the cylinders.

Karl


On 9/18/2012 12:30 PM, BobHelt at aol.com wrote:
> Karl,
> The oil ring has no specific orientation, so up or down is ok.
> BUT the two compression rings DO have an orientation and the markings 
> MUST always face up towards the top of the piston.
> Regards,
> Bob Helt
> In a message dated 9/17/2012 10:59:45 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time, 
> cityhawk at pobox.com writes:
>
>     Since I have not seen anything written about there being a top and a
>     bottom to the oil ring spacer, I will assume that there is no
>     right and
>     wrong way to install it. But I just thought I'd ask. Anyone have a
>     preference whether the ends of the spacer go up or down?
>
>     Also, with cast iron rings, I did not see any difference between one
>     side and the other, so I will assume that there is no top or
>     bottom to
>     these, correct?
>
>     Inquiring minds want to know.
>
>     Thanks!
>

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