Piston ring gap on a 383
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Nov 2011
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Piston ring gap on a 383 Was talking to the machine shop that my motor is at and they said they needed to gap my piston rings because they were file fit. They are setting them all to. 018. Is this okay? I see a lot where the top and bottoms are different gaps and I just want to make sure this won't cause problems.
As of right now no spay or anything so would it be okay with that.
Possibly in the future plan on spraying 150+. Would it be okay for that?
As of right now no spay or anything so would it be okay with that.
Possibly in the future plan on spraying 150+. Would it be okay for that?
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2013
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That's fine for the top, but the bottom needs to be opened up to .020" at least, maybe even bigger.
The reason being is that you will have some amount of blowby, no way around it, but you don't want it to get trapped between the rings. You open up the second ring gap larger so that the blowby can get through without unseating the top ring and hurting the ring seal.
The reason being is that you will have some amount of blowby, no way around it, but you don't want it to get trapped between the rings. You open up the second ring gap larger so that the blowby can get through without unseating the top ring and hurting the ring seal.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
That's fine for the top, but the bottom needs to be opened up to .020" at least, maybe even bigger.
The reason being is that you will have some amount of blowby, no way around it, but you don't want it to get trapped between the rings. You open up the second ring gap larger so that the blowby can get through without unseating the top ring and hurting the ring seal.
The reason being is that you will have some amount of blowby, no way around it, but you don't want it to get trapped between the rings. You open up the second ring gap larger so that the blowby can get through without unseating the top ring and hurting the ring seal.
HOPE they are dumbing things down assuming you don't understand things. If they are that dumb at best it wont perform even if you correct them on this, at worst you are doing it all over. Quality machining is critical and there are a LOT more mediocre to poor shops out there than good and few people ever know the difference. You wouldn't believe the garbage I have seen "good" local shops put out. Luckily it hasn't ever happened to me because I am cheap and stick with the stock shortblock. Genuinely improving a bottomend cost a lot and gains little compared to the same coin spent on the topend.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
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See if you can get the part # for the pistons you ordered and contact mahle too see what they recommend for your application. All metals expand at a different rate so it depends on the material they used too make the pistons.........
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From: BFE
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2013
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Total Seal is the only one I know of that suggests their top rings be gapped looser than the top. Personally, I ignore that. GM, Wiseco, Hastings, Childs & Albert, etc etc etc all recommend otherwise.
If you have a solid explanation to the contrary, I'd love to hear it. Otherwise, don' tell the quarterback how to throw a ball if you're just a cheerleader...
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 14,620
Likes: 17
From: BFE
Define "out of the ordinary".
Total Seal is the only one I know of that suggests their top rings be gapped looser than the top. Personally, I ignore that. GM, Wiseco, Hastings, Childs & Albert, etc etc etc all recommend otherwise.
If you have a solid explanation to the contrary, I'd love to hear it. Otherwise, don' tell the quarterback how to throw a ball if you're just a cheerleader...
Total Seal is the only one I know of that suggests their top rings be gapped looser than the top. Personally, I ignore that. GM, Wiseco, Hastings, Childs & Albert, etc etc etc all recommend otherwise.
If you have a solid explanation to the contrary, I'd love to hear it. Otherwise, don' tell the quarterback how to throw a ball if you're just a cheerleader...
