5.3 gen III ring gap
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Oct 2024
Posts: 11
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5.3 gen III ring gap Hey fellas kind of a newbie here
Need some help regarding ring gap on my 5.3 doing my first rebuild and need an opinion on what I should do? Shooting for a stock rebuild with the stock 3.780 bore.
The top rings lowest is 0.019 and highest is 0.021 the bottom rings are 0.021, I was thinking to gap top to 0.020-0.021 and bottom to 0.023-0.024
Drown me in your wisdom
Need some help regarding ring gap on my 5.3 doing my first rebuild and need an opinion on what I should do? Shooting for a stock rebuild with the stock 3.780 bore.
The top rings lowest is 0.019 and highest is 0.021 the bottom rings are 0.021, I was thinking to gap top to 0.020-0.021 and bottom to 0.023-0.024
Drown me in your wisdom
TECH Fanatic
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 1,292
Likes: 436
From: St. Louis
This is something I know absolutely nothing about, so I'm sorry if I'm wasting space in your thread. However, I've still put a lot of stuff together, I like math but I just like doing the math on the box. I don't want to actually have to check my work!!! If you're not trying to win the Indy 500 I would just get some sealed power replacement rings or something along those lines, You wouldn't need to measure anything especially if it's a stock bore deal you could just drop them in and go
On The Tree
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 196
Likes: 72
From: Grand Rapids, MI
Where its at is fine. You'll only have a problem if the person behind the keyboard likes to tear stuff up.
I run .018 top and .020 bottom on my forged 6.0 (4 inch bore) with16psi boost, no issues.
I also tuned my dads turbo suburban for towing(long periods in boost, think lots of heat) and didn't even check the gap.
If I remember correctly GM spec is like .008 to something huge.
I run .018 top and .020 bottom on my forged 6.0 (4 inch bore) with16psi boost, no issues.
I also tuned my dads turbo suburban for towing(long periods in boost, think lots of heat) and didn't even check the gap.
If I remember correctly GM spec is like .008 to something huge.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Oct 2024
Posts: 11
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Looked up the factory specs top is .009 to .017 bottom is .017 to .027
what got me questioning the gap size is that some of the top and bottom ring have the same gap at .021 doesn't that cause ring flutter? does it even matter if all of the ring gaps are not equal?
what got me questioning the gap size is that some of the top and bottom ring have the same gap at .021 doesn't that cause ring flutter? does it even matter if all of the ring gaps are not equal?
Last edited by Silas Mg; Oct 25, 2024 at 02:08 AM.
What is the intended use? NA motor? Boost? Fuel? Intended power etc.
I'd keep the rings "as is" and just clean the ring lands for a mild NA build. Make sure to do them one at a time and reinstall in the same cyls in the same orientation. Don't worry about rung flutter. KISS is always the best approach. Most do more harm than good tearing into these motors and adding "new" parts.
I'd keep the rings "as is" and just clean the ring lands for a mild NA build. Make sure to do them one at a time and reinstall in the same cyls in the same orientation. Don't worry about rung flutter. KISS is always the best approach. Most do more harm than good tearing into these motors and adding "new" parts.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Oct 2024
Posts: 11
Likes: 4
What is the intended use? NA motor? Boost? Fuel? Intended power etc.
I'd keep the rings "as is" and just clean the ring lands for a mild NA build. Make sure to do them one at a time and reinstall in the same cyls in the same orientation. Don't worry about rung flutter. KISS is always the best approach. Most do more harm than good tearing into these motors and adding "new" parts.
I'd keep the rings "as is" and just clean the ring lands for a mild NA build. Make sure to do them one at a time and reinstall in the same cyls in the same orientation. Don't worry about rung flutter. KISS is always the best approach. Most do more harm than good tearing into these motors and adding "new" parts.
TECH Addict
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 2,180
Likes: 969
I'd leave it alone. Nothing to be gained by fiddling with it.
"Perfect" sometimes is the enemy of "good enough". Having "numbers" that are SPOT-ON against some imaginary standard of "perfection" doesn't make a damn bit of difference if it ... doesn't make a damn bit of difference ... to the ACTUAL outcome.
IMO you run a greater risk of damaging something - chipping a ring and not noticing it, or twisting one, or dropping one on the floor and losing it, for example - by JACKING with it, than ANY risk of missing any power, reliability, or anything else, that you could POSSIBLY gain by JACKING with it.
Leave it alone.
"Perfect" sometimes is the enemy of "good enough". Having "numbers" that are SPOT-ON against some imaginary standard of "perfection" doesn't make a damn bit of difference if it ... doesn't make a damn bit of difference ... to the ACTUAL outcome.
IMO you run a greater risk of damaging something - chipping a ring and not noticing it, or twisting one, or dropping one on the floor and losing it, for example - by JACKING with it, than ANY risk of missing any power, reliability, or anything else, that you could POSSIBLY gain by JACKING with it.
Leave it alone.
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Teching In
Joined: Oct 2024
Posts: 11
Likes: 4
What got me concerned is that when I measured them, the majority of the top and second rings measured the same around .020 - .021 I guess I shouldn't have been worried. I appreciate everyone taking the time to reply btw
Personally if it’s mine, I’m opening up the second ring gap a thou or two. Ring flutter is real. If the gas can’t get out, it pressurizes the top and second rings against their lands (up and down respectively) whereas the rings can’t flex outward as they should. Is this going to make a big difference on a stock rebuild? Not to the extent of a big power gain, but ring seal also keeps combustion gasses out of the crankcase. You’ll see dirtier oil earlier as a symptom. Basically I’m saying…while your in there, it takes 10 minutes to do this right and open up all 8 bottom rings a couple thou…especially a soft Oem second ring.
Make sure your measuring the rings down the bore about an inch or so, and make sure they are square in the bore during the process. Turn a piston upside down and push the ring down with the piston top to ensure it’s square in the cylinder.
Make sure your measuring the rings down the bore about an inch or so, and make sure they are square in the bore during the process. Turn a piston upside down and push the ring down with the piston top to ensure it’s square in the cylinder.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Oct 2024
Posts: 11
Likes: 4
Personally if it’s mine, I’m opening up the second ring gap a thou or two. Ring flutter is real. If the gas can’t get out, it pressurizes the top and second rings against their lands (up and down respectively) whereas the rings can’t flex outward as they should. Is this going to make a big difference on a stock rebuild? Not to the extent of a big power gain, but ring seal also keeps combustion gasses out of the crankcase. You’ll see dirtier oil earlier as a symptom. Basically I’m saying…while your in there, it takes 10 minutes to do this right and open up all 8 bottom rings a couple thou…especially a soft Oem second ring.
Make sure your measuring the rings down the bore about an inch or so, and make sure they are square in the bore during the process. Turn a piston upside down and push the ring down with the piston top to ensure it’s square in the cylinder.
Make sure your measuring the rings down the bore about an inch or so, and make sure they are square in the bore during the process. Turn a piston upside down and push the ring down with the piston top to ensure it’s square in the cylinder.
Driver side cyl -----------------------Passenger side cyl)
D1 .018 top .022 second -------- P1 .019 top .021 second
D2 .021 top .021 second -------- P2 .019 top .021 second
D3 .019 top .021 second -------- P3 .021 top .021 second
D4 .021 top .021 second -------- P4 .021 top .021 second
The rings are Hastings
I think opening the the second rings and leaving the top is the right move correct me if I'm wrong.
My current measurements are
Driver side cyl -----------------------Passenger side cyl)
D1 .018 top .022 second -------- P1 .019 top .021 second
D2 .021 top .021 second -------- P2 .019 top .021 second
D3 .019 top .021 second -------- P3 .021 top .021 second
D4 .021 top .021 second -------- P4 .021 top .021 second
The rings are Hastings
I think opening the the second rings and leaving the top is the right move correct me if I'm wrong.
Driver side cyl -----------------------Passenger side cyl)
D1 .018 top .022 second -------- P1 .019 top .021 second
D2 .021 top .021 second -------- P2 .019 top .021 second
D3 .019 top .021 second -------- P3 .021 top .021 second
D4 .021 top .021 second -------- P4 .021 top .021 second
The rings are Hastings
I think opening the the second rings and leaving the top is the right move correct me if I'm wrong.