How to file piston rings?
04-11-2007, 08:59 PM
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How to file piston rings? Ive coem to the point that I need to start filing my piston rings in preparation for the build next week. I have a piston ring filer I bought from summit, summit brand actually. How do I use it? lol. No instructions were included. I understand that I place the piston ring on the filer, and file inward on both sides, checking the gap in the bore frequently to insure proper ring gap.
What I want to know is the basics. Am I missing anything here? Do you file the wave part of the oil ring, or just the top and bottom of it?
Mahle included a set of "Spacer rails" - but I dont know what these are for, lol. Do I need them? where do they go?
-Lurius
What I want to know is the basics. Am I missing anything here? Do you file the wave part of the oil ring, or just the top and bottom of it?
Mahle included a set of "Spacer rails" - but I dont know what these are for, lol. Do I need them? where do they go?
-Lurius
04-12-2007, 07:56 AM
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Never filed a ring before but I have read about it 
. there was a good write up in a chevy magazine I picked up at my friends house the other day It's on the shelfs now but not sure what magazine it was chevy something.
. there was a good write up in a chevy magazine I picked up at my friends house the other day It's on the shelfs now but not sure what magazine it was chevy something.
04-12-2007, 02:28 PM
#3
measure...grind ... measure...
pic up the new JUNE issue of Chevy High performance Mag ... they have an article in there on how to do it, page 52 - 54.. i have it right here
you 1st, clean the ring with lacquer thinner
then take the ring put it in the bore, square it with an old piston or a ring squaring tool in the cylinder.. and measure the gap with the feeler gauge...
remove the ring from the cylinder and file 1 side only, according to how much you need to take off.... file...
make sure to debur it, take off any sharp edges..
place it back into the cylinder about 1 -2 inches down, use an old piston to square it in the bore or ring squaring tool.. recheck the gap
repeat if needed.
pic up the new JUNE issue of Chevy High performance Mag ... they have an article in there on how to do it, page 52 - 54.. i have it right here
you 1st, clean the ring with lacquer thinner
then take the ring put it in the bore, square it with an old piston or a ring squaring tool in the cylinder.. and measure the gap with the feeler gauge...
remove the ring from the cylinder and file 1 side only, according to how much you need to take off.... file...
make sure to debur it, take off any sharp edges..
place it back into the cylinder about 1 -2 inches down, use an old piston to square it in the bore or ring squaring tool.. recheck the gap
repeat if needed.
Last edited by GR33N GoblinM6; 04-12-2007 at 02:41 PM.
04-12-2007, 03:49 PM
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I ground mine a couple of weeks ago and snapped a few pics of the progress. Hope they help...
I used an old piston to square the rings...took all of the rings off of it and placed one compression ring on the bottom groove.
Checking the gap is all about feel...the gauge shouldn't fall in, but you shouldn't have to force it either...
As GR33N GoblinM6 said, do one side only. You want to make sure the ring stays in contact with both dowels and is flat the whole time...that will ensure your ring ends stay square...
I used an old piston to square the rings...took all of the rings off of it and placed one compression ring on the bottom groove.
Checking the gap is all about feel...the gauge shouldn't fall in, but you shouldn't have to force it either...
As GR33N GoblinM6 said, do one side only. You want to make sure the ring stays in contact with both dowels and is flat the whole time...that will ensure your ring ends stay square...
04-12-2007, 05:01 PM
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Awesome pics. That bottom one is what I needed! I needd to know how to hold the ring on the tool. btw, thats the same tool ive got lol, so this helps a lot!
-Lurius
-Lurius
