bad piston rings

3095 Views 19 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Jason.Arthur.Taylor, Apr 21, 2022

ezrollin

Discussion Starter · Jun 4, 2006

The haynes says to use a ring installer to pull off the rings. But I have no clue what they were smoking. I was able to get every ring off every piston except 1 ring on the last piston. The ring gaps are so close together and tight you can barely even see it! I'm gonna try to get a razor blade in there if I can. Dont know what else to do.

I saw that the Haynes says that if your piston ring gaps touch each other (or close to touching) that major damage could happen. Well, on this last one that I cant get off, the ring is stuck together so tight. I dunno how to get it off or what major damage could occur.

1 - 20 of 20 Posts

Turbocharged400sbc

· #2 · Jun 4, 2006

is it the top compression ring? if it is then you may have a pinched ring land and it's clamping the ring in there

ezrollin

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jun 4, 2006

yes, its the top ring
its only on 1 piston, the 6th cylinder

all the cylinders had like 80-100 psi of compression. All piston rings must've been bad

ezrollin

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jun 4, 2006

there is no way to get a feeler gauge in almost any ring on any cylinder, unless its the bottom oil rings

ezrollin

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jun 4, 2006

how do ya reckon it got pinched? How do I get it out? by buying a new piston? lol

1Hot97

· #6 · Jun 5, 2006

If the top ring on any piston is stuck, it's bad. Maybe just stuck from carbon, but more likely stuck from the top of the piston from getting smacked.

ezrollin

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jun 5, 2006

......getting smacked by what? the valves?
i dont think its carbon at all
most all the carbon is on the very top of the piston, its crown?
I'll check my valves
thanks

ezrollin

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jun 5, 2006

I see no sign of damage on the piston crown, the head, or the valves..

1Hot97

· #9 · Jun 5, 2006

I don't know what to tell you. Could be detonation damage. This is assuming of course that the ring is actually stuck in the land.

Miko K

· #10 · Jun 6, 2006

Time for some forged pistons and Total Seal gapless rings, then you will see 200PSI compression

That's no joke :8

ezrollin

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jun 6, 2006

I dont know if I need forged pistons, but 200 psi sounds like fun!
I just want this engine to be reliable to drive me to work so I can save for my LS1(which I want to race the hell out of, and build it up)

ezrollin

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jun 6, 2006

I FINALLY got the last compression ring off! the gap was COMPLETELY stuck together and somehow I managed to get a razor blade in there, even though I scratched the hell out of the piston head. (next to the ring lands, but not in the ring lands)
Hopefully I will have enough gap between the ring and the piston ring land. I mean enough gap on top and bottom of the ring itself.
thanks!

ezrollin

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jun 6, 2006

the smallest "bit" on my piston ring cleaner tool wont fit into any ring besides the oil ring (the lowest ring).
the oil ring is the biggest ring.
I guess I will just use one of the broken old rings to clean it.
Then use acetone and blow dry with compressed air.

ezrollin

Discussion Starter · #14 · Jun 6, 2006

wish i could hot tank it.
what temp does hot tank run?

ezrollin

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jun 9, 2006

I need the ring gap sizes. anyone? For a 2002 3.8L 3800 v6 camaro.
I was told that chrome moly would be too harsh on our
"lesser quality iron" blocks. I never knew my iron block was "lesser quality"
thanks

00GTP

· #16 · Jun 9, 2006

ezrollin said:
I need the ring gap sizes. anyone? For a 2002 3.8L 3800 v6 camaro.
I was told that chrome moly would be too harsh on our
"lesser quality iron" blocks. I never knew my iron block was "lesser quality"
thanks

I use total seal chrome moly gapless in mine. I probably still have the specs at home for the gap, but just too make sure, call total seal. And yours will be different than mine since youre NA. Search the web, the phone # is listed on their site.

ezrollin

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jun 10, 2006

what does N/A have to do with it? Did you get pistons too? or FI?
"there is no such thing as chrome moly piston rings" you can either have "chrome" faced or moly faced or something like that...
I wonder if steel or Iron Is better?????????

ezrollin

Discussion Starter · #18 · Jun 10, 2006

I will take a guess that the sizes/specs are:
1.2mm
1.5mm
3.0mm
on a 3.8 inch bore
But i'm not sure if thats right

00GTP

· #19 · Jun 10, 2006

ezrollin said:
what does N/A have to do with it? Did you get pistons too? or FI?
"there is no such thing as chrome moly piston rings" you can either have "chrome" faced or moly faced or something like that...
I wonder if steel or Iron Is better?????????

Wow, Jon, you might wanna check that whole chrome moly thing. Anyway, NA versus forced induction : if you use the wrong gap, you'll know it pretty soon after the rebuild. Yes, I got pistons also. Like I said, you'd be better off calling TS or even checking the Intense site for gap specs in the forged pistons section.
And steel is by far better.

Jason.Arthur.Taylor

· #20 · Apr 21, 2022

Miko K said:
Time for some forged pistons and Total Seal gapless rings, then you will see 200PSI compression That's no joke :8

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