piston ring arrangement

On my Hemi project all rings are gaped (top .022, second .028, oil .025) and ready to install. top and second ring dimple up correct? Oil ring doesn't matter correct? These are Carrillo rings. Thanks

Hey Dave,

I think I can answer these questions.

1) Yes dimple faces upward.

2) Typically the oil expansion ring (bottom wavy ring) is non directional, but recently I've installed a few sets were the manufacturer actually instructed otherwise. In this case where the expansion ring comes together, an "arrow" is formed and that arrow should point up. The thin oil rings that fit above and below the wavy expansion ring are non-directional in nearly every application.

In my Big Block Ford build video @41:04 I review this information: (entire video is indexed in the description)

https://youtu.be/m5n9Xs1QwG0

Side note: You mention that your top ring is gapped tighter than your 2nd ring. Is that a Hemi specific thing? I've never heard of anyone doing that. Typically, your top ring has the largest gap because it expands more due to increased heat near the combustion chamber. Be careful with that, it could be really bad news if the top ring ends come together.

Dan
(Also preparing to build a Gen 2 Hemi)

Thank you for the info. Yes the top ring these days gets a tighter gap than the second. I dont believe its Hemi specific either. My shop told me they found some power there. Barton spec'd top ring at .018, my shop says .022, i'm like the safer .022 on a 4.500 bore.

.018-.022 is in the ball park for a street strip application, but gap is typically material and application dependent, start boosting it the gap opens up. As far as location they all get staggered. I have a set location for each ring. Top at 6, o'clock, 2nd at 12, top oil at 10, bottom oil at 2. and the ring expander at 7, Every time without fail. I also verify my oil ring for min of .015. Been doing it this way for 40years.

Thanks, the oil ring out of the box measured .025 in my bores. I will arrange as info suggests.

Link to Total Seal installation instructions: Total Seal Installation LINK
Attached sheet is from UEM (ICON) :

Gonna apply assembly lube(Royal Purple) to the skirts of the piston upon slipping them into the bores, but should the rings be sprayed with WD or some similar lubricate as well or left dry?

I follow the ring makers instructions on gapping and installing the rings. I have learned it is way better to have .0020+ more ring end gap than having .0001 to little
I would not use a synthetic oil on a freshly bored and honed cylinder walls or on the pistons
Petroleum based oil or ATF, no synthetic base lubes ever
The only assembly lube I will use is on the flat tappet type cams, solid or hydraulic non roller lifters. On the lobes and on the bottom of the lifters, not on the sides of the lifters, oil them and the insides of the lifter bores.
The motors run on oil, not on assembly lube, I do prime all my motors and spin them over while priming them before starting them

I used the royal purple assembly lube on the bearings because the motor will be setting a few years before i get it running. I always prime my motors just before they run. Ring directions call for .0045/in. of bore on top ring and second ring .004-.008 more gap than top ring. Should the rings be dry on start up?

A light coat of oil on your rings will help them move around in the ring-lands of your pistons and prevent any potential corrosion while sitting in your engine awaiting that first start up. Old school engine builders would dip a piston in oil (with the rings installed) before installing it into the cylinder during assembly, so those rings were soaked pretty good. Personally, I lightly coat my rings to promote easy of movement so they don't mar the pistons during install and assembly. I always coat my cylinders with a liberal amount of oil before installing the pistons into the block. When the engine is fired up, any oil up top will be burnt off and the rings will then do their job of keeping oil where it belongs (out of the combustion chamber).

I have one of those old engine assembly books that show the piston being dunked in oil just before they slide it into the bore. I had an instructor at a trade school i attended some 40yrs ago(Lincoln Technical Institute) that instructed us on not putting anything on the rings. He said the rings would seat immediately on start up and get oil soon enough. I never used either method in any of the engines i have assembled, but i just spray the rings with an aerosol lubricant (WD40) or whatever i have on hand and wipe the cylinder with the same lubricant and let it rip. Being this build will sit a few years before it runs, thinking it needs some kind of motor oil like others have said. Thanks guys.

Although I am a great fan of WD 40 (I use it for a multitude of things except food and cleaning glass) but WD 40 as a lubricant on the rings/skirts is pretty much the same as nothing. Typically I will take a qt of straight 30wgt. poke a hole thru the top with a pick, then just prior to putting the piston/rod in the bore I lube the rings/skirts liberally then slide it together. As for assembly lube (bearings) I use straight STP. These are practices I have always used and have served me well.

On a side note, WD 40 used as a parts cleaner is one of its many great uses, other than its more obvious/advertised uses. I haev used it to clean granite surfaces (Measurement instrument bases). a quick wash and wax of the Race truck in the pits.

I'm old school and dip the pistons in a large tin coffee can of oil so I can see the wrist pin be submerged and move the rod around in the can to make sure the oil gets behind the rings and in and around the wrist pins
I do let the piston drain by cocking it so the oil drips off the inside and outside of the piston hanging inside to top of the can and I move the rings around in the grooves to make sure they slide in and out and move around freely in the piston grooves and to make sure the oil that will drip out of the grooves while draining for 2 or more minutes while I install the previous pistons into the cylinders

The compression rings get a few dribbles of Marvel Mystery oil and spun around a few times feeling for any binding. When file fitting, or even out of the box sets, can have burrs left that need addressed.

I've been using Total Seal Quick Seat on the last several builds with great results. Clean the bores with brake-kleen, wipe with WD-40 on a cloth, then wipe the bores dry with a lint free cloth. Apply Quick seat to the bores and they'll turn green if they're clean enough. I spread about a dime sized dot of oil on the skirts and drop em in. Get a load on the motor once it has some temperature in it to seat the rings. Done.

I may be doing it backwards, but I usually talk to Total Seal to get the recommended ring package for the application, then have Ross cut the ring grooves to Total Seal's spec.

I have heard of a few builders that use that stuff with good results. I found a qt of Amsoil break in oil that i had left over from the last build. Think i will use this on the rings and skirts without issue. It is a 30wt without friction modifiers and extra zinc. Should work fine. It is designed to quickly seat rings.

I used the Quick Seat on my stocker 4 years ago with gapless rings and a gas ported spacer ring. No other oil or lube. Worked out fine