Piston Rings Don't fit? 1980 Ford 302

[Beagle]

I get what you're saying, huge difference. Without measurements everywhere, I can't really say a lot more than beats the hell out of me, I've had to file standard top rings in a standard bore with 100k on it... that is a mess! Where were the gaps taken at? Same depth? I'm guessing you squared them up with a piston... same location down the bore? I need to go out in the garage and check some junk anyway, but the stuff I stuck back together moons ago was .018 top with it down just below where the top ring "tops out" in the bore and I wanted just a bit more.

No faster than I move, I can probably send you a ring from a set I have here if you want to check it. How big of a hurry are you in? With the drawing I could understand a .06x top gap if you were worn .012 , that's .006 per side, not a lot. You can feel it on the ridge... I have zero idea where a .028 turned into a .06x plus on a replacement set, though. That sounds screwy... push them down to the bottom of the bore and check them again?

[Russell]

Dad was checking the gap about an inch into the hole. I can see the gap being big b/c of the taper but it should be big on the old ring also. I ordered a standard set of hastings rings this will be set #4 if they don't work, which I will not be holding my breath. Its going to $$ to find the problem and $$ to fix. I might look for another motor or short block.

[OldMachinist]

Before you get carried away, do as beagle suggested. Put your .028 ring in cylinder 3 1/2 inches down from deck and push it to that point with a piston without rings installed so it will be square. I have seen blocks with a seemingly small ridge barely clean at .030. If you can feel wear it really needs bored.

[Scott Liggett]

I did the rering and new bearing rebuild on my 454. Worked out great. I just dingle ball honed the cylinders, polished the crank, and had the rods/pistons resized and cleaned. Threw it all back together. Got it all from my machinist cheaper than anywhere else.

[Caveman Tony]

Mis-labeled box of rings?

Crazier things have happened.

If properly boxed/labeled, then there is some serious wacky bore taper goin on, and def needs a proper measure to know EXACTLY what yer dealin' with.

Borrow a bore gauge somewhere?

[Huskinhano]

I had that happen. Some one I knew blew apart his 402. He couldn't figure out how to put it back together and begged me to put it back together. When I checked the new rings, they had a huge gap like you said while the stocker was with in specs. I don't remember if we went to a different brand or re used the old.

Yeah, the guy spun a rod bearing while doing 100 MPH going to work in a 50 MPH zone. I told him the rods needed to be resized but refused to do so, said he didn't have the money. I told him he'd spin a bearing again. But he had money to buy headers, cam and carb. Yes he did spin a rod bearing and no, I didn't get volunteer to fix it again.

[anotheridiot]

Dad was checking the gap about an inch into the hole. I can see the gap being big b/c of the taper but it should be big on the old ring also. I ordered a standard set of hastings rings this will be set #4 if they don't work, which I will not be holding my breath. Its going to $$ to find the problem and $$ to fix. I might look for another motor or short block.

Sorry, but arent the standard rings going to have the bigger gap? If you buy a .060 over set you are gonna get more ring so when you put them in the hole you will pretty much should have the ends overlap by .030. That way you just file them to get where you want. I still dont think the bigger rings are gonna last too long if you have too much clearance with the piston, but if you dont want to get pistons and bore the block, you pretty much need to file the rings so getting more ring in an oversize set will give you more ring to work with.

[Beagle]

that was what he started with and found out were the wrong size - .030 OVERsize... that would be a recipe for "Negative ghostrider, the pattern is full" for ring seal I would think. Oversize rings would go ovoid in the bore? Anyway, that problem was identified early and on to plan D, the fourth set.

I don't get the rings having that wide of a gap. I'd call them and ask, may still do so if I get some time this week. Just kinda wierd. You would expect the std file to fit ring to be on the large size, not the What the hell small size! Even a "pre-gapped" HA! shouldn't be that wide? Confused. Let us know on the Hastings?