AC C piston ring orientation

[Noah in IA]

Hey guys,

Just a quick question here since my service manual makes no mention of it; do I need to position the piston rings in any specific manner (like an angular offset between ring gaps) before installing into the sleeves? Also, what specific surfaces do you coat with assembly lube before install? As I"ve mentioned before, I"m new to this engine/mechanic"n stuff so your help is much appreciated!

Thanks,
 

[Orange fever]

You don"t need to aline in an specific order. Just remember you never align them all in the same spot. This would cause blow by and oil cunsumption problems. What i do is offset the ring gap by 3rds or 180 degrees from one another. The oil ring scraper I place one at 10 o"clock above the wrist pin and the other at 4 o"clock below the wrist pin. There should also be instructions on which side of the ring faces up.

As for assembly lube i use whichever weight of oil I"m running in the crankcase for assembly. Set your rings in a bowl of oil before you place them on your pistons. Oil the gland that the rings are to be install in on the piston. oil the inside of your piston sleeves before placing your piston into them. oil the wrist pin and where the rod connects to the wrist pin. Need less to say just oil everything, no oil will cause damage when you start the engine. I even place a little oil on top of piston for more lubercation when starting. So with all this oil just make sure your deck is oil free and dry for your head gasket to seal.
 

[old]

When I do rings I always line them up 180 out. If you have a 3 ring piston you do the oil or bottom ring one way then the next up 180 out and then the next/top 180 out. You can always do them so they are 1/3 of the way around from each other
 

[BushogPapa]

I like to orient the end-gaps somewhat over opposite wrist-pin ends..staggering a rather small amount..

Ron..
 

[rustred]

yep thats the way i do it. keeping the gaps towards wrist pin area and out of the major and minor thrust area of piston.
 

[Noah in IA]

thanks guys - that's the info i was looking for!