where to find a ring grinder??
 

do i really need one? i hope to soon finally start putting my motor together. i understand everything i need to do and clearances execpt for ring gaps. how do i gap them? if i need a grinder can i rent one? this is a eagle 383 build. i just don't wanna break one and i want it right.


Is plastic guage alright for bearing clearances?

I'm no expert but ring end gap is the gap between the end of the rings when installed in the cylinder. Basically you take each of your rings and one at a time place them in the cylinder and take a piston and push the ring an inch or two into the cylinder so that its good and square and then measure the end gap with a feeler gauge. The ring gap may be ring specific for aftermarket companys or it may use a stock measurement. The importance of ring gap is rings swell with heat and if the gap was too tight the ring could expand and the gaps touch and the ring could expand enough to start digging into the cylinder wall causeing premature wear and power loss. It is important but its not an extremely difficult process either. Again I'm not expert on the exact procedure but that is what ring gap is and why its important.

so do i need stock gaps? i understand how to measure them and all but not the best way to get them there. as in a small file or a ring filer. i found a filer from sdpc for $49. is that good or could i rent one? and what gap is best for what. this one is gonna be n/a but possibly turbo later. i know too big of gap you'll loose power and burn oil. i don't want that at all.

Look in the box your pistons or rings came in there will be a paper with a math formula to figure out ring gap. Im guessing you will end up somewhere around .024 top and .020 bottom thats what my eagle rotating assembly for my old 418 called for with moderate nitrous usage. I bought my ring grinder off summit a while back I dont recall how much it was but I dont think you can just rent one.

all my race car motors ive put together i just used a small file and filed them down as equaly as i could..

thanks i'll check out summit. and look in my box. got another question on top of this one. my assy says its balanced. but the rods and pistons are not numbered. there is however a card that tells weight and tolerances for everything. so does that mean that the rods and pistons have been balanced to each other and then balanced to the crank? if so then it wouldn't mater where what rod and piston went.?.

A ring grinder is a thin grinding wheel with a hand crank.
A good flat file will do the same job, but only cheaper.

do one side at a time, hold the edge of the ring flat on the file
And move the ring down the file one time.
Flip the ring over and do the same with the other end.
Run it down the file one time.

Now set the ring in your new bored and honed cylinder from the machine shop.
1. set the ring 1/2 inch in, push in flat with your new piston, measure gap, write it down
2. with piston in hand, push ring down 1 inch from where it was, measure gap, write it down.
3. Again with piston in hand, push ring down 1 more inch, measure gap, write it down.
4. One more time, push ring down 1 more inch and measure gap, write it down.
Check what you wrote down, see if any difference, set gap to the best specs.

i don't care how good the rep is from a machine shop, work is only as good as the
Machine and the person doing the job, and both get worn out from being over worked.

The reason for the 4 step check is for any kind of variance in the work.
Plus the ring will match the cylinder perfectly all the way through the stroke.

Do one set per cylinder and mark them for the cylinder you gap and tested them on.
Set them a side or assembly the piston and place it in the motor.
i know it is a long process, but the out come is worth it, no burning oil, Max
compression per cylinder, and longer life

Your assy is balanced. They balance all the pistons to the weight of the lightest one and the same for the rods, then they put bob weights on the crank throws that match the weight of the piston/rod combo and put it on a lathe type machine. Then it tells them how much the crank is off balance like a tire machine, depending on how heavyt he coutnerweights are and how heavy/light your piston/rod combo is they either add mallory to the counterwieght or they shave some off so the whole assembly spins nice and true.:thumb:

I made a ring square and a ring grinder https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...9961&highlight=. It wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea, but it was a fun project for me.

Steve

ahh, thanks pappydan and 1slow01z71 thats exactly what i was looking for. should i use a fine file? i would guess it would make it easier. less chance of breakage.