Technical Piston Ring Installations (Wet or Dry??)

[moonman29]

Im rebuilding a dodge 318 and I was just curious as to how some of you install the rings and pistons into the bore on a fresh rebuild. I normally coat the the cylinder wall with a light coat of oil from a soaked towel, put oil in the oil rings and a few drops on the 1st and 2nd ring and spin them around to that nothing starts bone dry. Am I doing this right or is there better options or methods to ring installations?

[seb fontana]

Sounds about right to me..

[re-animator]

I knew a guy that dunked them in a coffee can filled with oil...but I do a light coat on the walls and a drop on the rings myself.....

[Don's Hot Rods]

I've always lightly coated the cylinder walls with oil to facilitate the piston being installed and also to keep the walls from rusting until I get around to firing the motor up. I have heard some people say they install them dry, but not sure what you do to keep rust off of the walls if you do that. I figure the walls are going to get oily anyway once you do fire it up, so it can't make seating of the rings any worse to install them with some oil on them initially.

It is probably like every other aspect of hot rodding, you have your opinion and I have mine and somehow they all seem to work ok.


Don

[moonman29]

Yeah I see what your saying and that why I do it too. But does this effect the break-in of the rings and how well the seat to the cylinder wall?

[Carnuba]

I use Ackery & Childs assembly oil (burns clean on fire up), or just motor oil on the rings. I get em pretty wet. Then that red sticky synthetic on the skirts. Also, very important not to forget a Zinc supplement in your oil pan to protect the cam during break-in on your new motor. Very important

[Deuces]

As mentioned above.... I dip the pistons and rings in a coffee can with oil so everything gets lubed up... Including the wrist pins... The thought of firing up a fresh motor with no oil in the pin bores makes me want to cringe..

[CutawayAl]

I built engines for a number of years, from industrial engines and motorcycles to street and race cars. I always heavily oiled the rings when installing and never saw any ill effects. The only engine I ever had to re-do was one that owner installed with bad radiator hose and knowingly continued driving after the hose failed.

On the other hand; a machinist/engine builder friend of mine, who has been involved in some well known and sucessful race teams, says putting any oil on the ring grooves is bad.

As happens so many times on the internet, you can find whatever answer you like.

[porknbeaner]

Originally Posted by moonman29

Im rebuilding a dodge 318 and I was just curious as to how some of you install the rings and pistons into the bore on a fresh rebuild. I normally coat the the cylinder wall with a light coat of oil from a soaked towel, put oil in the oil rings and a few drops on the 1st and 2nd ring and spin them around to that nothing starts bone dry. Am I doing this right or is there better options or methods to ring installations?

A coffee can full of oil and I dip mine.

But your ways sounds as though it would work as well as mine. My way may be overkill.

[Mike Miller]

Me to, the old dip and drip. Clean up the mess after the short block is togeather.

[borntoloze]

oil ... pin too.

[jbrittonjr]

My pop liked to use STP motor treatment. STP is like a very viscous oil.
I prefer to use plenty of 10w30 oil.

[flamedabone]

And another little tip.....the wrist pins are about the last thing to see any oil, so I like to turn the piston upside down and dribble some light engine oil on the pin/pin bore area and work the piston back and forth on the rod a bit before I stuff the piston/rod assy in the hole.

Also, I dunk the whole piston ring area in oil before it goes in the bore.

Good luck and don't forget to clock your ring gaps before you scrunch 'em down in the compressor....

-Abone.

[George]

some oil here also. Had an old WWII Navy engine builder talk about back when there was only iron rings & they knew the engine wasn't going to sit they'd spray a little water in the bores so a little rust would set the rings faster. Some old ways aren't recommended!

[Lobucrod]

I pour some oil down one side of the cylinder then work it all around with my hand. I'm sure i put too much but the rings are gonna wipe it down anyway. Just want to make sure the skirts are well oiled. Then I oil the wrist pin, rock the piston while sliding it back and forth on the pin. Hold the rings against the piston on one side then squirt oil under the rings into the groves on the other side. Spin the rings around some Then space the rings like I like em and put the squeeze on them with the ring compressor. It gotten to be a routine and sometimes I do it without thinking about it and Ive have had to pull pistons back out to check the rings and theyre always ok

[Chevy Gasser]

Like a few other guys said, HEAVILY coat piston, rings, and cyl with oil. It won't hurt a thing, it will be gone in the first couple minutes after regular lubrication takes over. By the way, an engine more than likely will not even start if it isn't oiled. No compression. I have seen this. Fresh rebuild would not fire, ran down a fresh battery trying to start it. Problem easily solved by squirting 4-5 pumps of oil in each cylinder. Fired right up!

[FEDER]

I wipe the bores with atf until clean then oil the pin only. Havnt had any problems at all. FED

[carcrazyjohn]

I always lightly coated them with oil first,Except once I put a ford 302 motor together dry.On start up I burned out 3 solenoids,Damn thing was to dry,Anyway had a friend come over and we wd40 the thing ,so on the 3rd solenoid It finally fired up and was fine,Never again will I put together a motor completely dry....................This is a true story of a 40 over 302 and 3 solenoids at 15 a pop I dont want you guys to think Im an idiot I always coat the bearings

[Carnuba]

Originally Posted by carcrazyjohn

I always lightly coated them with oil first,Except once I put a ford 302 motor together dry.On start up I burned out 3 solenoids,Damn thing was to dry,Anyway had a friend come over and we wd40 the thing ,so on the 3rd solenoid It finally fired up and was fine,Never again will I put together a motor completely dry....................This is a true story of a 40 over 302 and 3 solenoids at 15 a pop I dont want you guys to think Im an idiot I always coat the bearings

WTF?

[carcrazyjohn]

Basically never install rings dry ..................