1600 rings

[rrlund]

This isn't about finding a set of rings for a 1600 gas, but a cautionary tale. I've got a 1600 with the original 3.5 inch bore. JS found a new set of takeouts for me several years ago at an old dealer. My son has an engine machine shop and ordered a set of rings, but nowhere in the Riley's book did it list a set for the original 231 CI 3.5 inch bore. They showed a 3.5 for a 1550, so I figured with the usual Oliver standardized parts, they'd probably work. Wrong. We got them yesterday afternoon. They're a 4 ring and the 1600 is 3, but what really was a problem the ring groove with is narrower on the 1600, both oil and compression.

We checked the 231 for an 88 and the groove with was wrong on those too. About all we could come up with was the 4 cylinder set for the 550 used the right compression ring, but the wrong oil ring. The 660 lists the right oil ring width, but wrong compression rings. I thought we'd have to buy four sets of rings and mix and match to come up with rings. Brandy called Hastings and they said they can come up with a set for an 8 cylinder, way cheaper than the 6 cylinder set that we ordered for a 1550, so we think we have some on the way, but if somebody is unlucky enough to have one of these original bore 1600s, you might have a serious issue if you ever need rings. Take a piston to somebody who can get in to the paper books and order them by the bore size and ring groove size or you'll be sending parts back.

 

[Oliver 500 Wa]

Why couldn't the 1600 ring grooves be machined wider?

 

[Dieseltech]

Why couldn't the 1600 ring grooves be machined wider?

You could. If the ring is too narrow for the groove a top groove spacer could be used too. I've done that with some three piece oil ring rails before. Years ago on used pistons the top worn groove was repaired by machining it wider for the ring and spacer.

 

[rrlund]

You could. If the ring is too narrow for the groove a top groove spacer could be used too. I've done that with some three piece oil ring rails before. Years ago on used pistons the top worn groove was repaired by machining it wider for the ring and spacer.

Jon said he could if it came to that, but the set that Brandy found for an eight cylinder was actually less than half the price of the incorrect 1550 rings that we had ordered.

 

[Dieseltech]

Jon said he could if it came to that, but the set that Brandy found for an eight cylinder was actually less than half the price of the incorrect 1550 rings that we had ordered.

When I needed rings for a Ford 6000 242 diesel I ended up using rings for an MM tractor as they were the closest correct fit I could find.

 

[rrlund]

When I needed rings for a Ford 6000 242 diesel I ended up using rings for an MM tractor as they were the closest correct fit I could find.

Ya, that's the thing with these, you'll have to measure them and get in the book, not just go off the tractor model.

 

[greg krush]

Ya, that's the thing with these, you'll have to measure them and get in the book, not just go off the tractor model.

I have run into the same problem on both a 77 and a 1655, most engines have been overhauled at some point and oversize sleeves have been installed. Finding stock size rings that will fit the grooves can be a real pain, but with enough research you can usually find something that works.

 

[rrlund]

This isn't about finding a set of rings for a 1600 gas, but a cautionary tale. I've got a 1600 with the original 3.5 inch bore. JS found a new set of takeouts for me several years ago at an old dealer. My son has an engine machine shop and ordered a set of rings, but nowhere in the Riley's book did it list a set for the original 231 CI 3.5 inch bore. They showed a 3.5 for a 1550, so I figured with the usual Oliver standardized parts, they'd probably work. Wrong. We got them yesterday afternoon. They're a 4 ring and the 1600 is 3, but what really was a problem the ring groove with is narrower on the 1600, both oil and compression.

We checked the 231 for an 88 and the groove with was wrong on those too. About all we could come up with was the 4 cylinder set for the 550 used the right compression ring, but the wrong oil ring. The 660 lists the right oil ring width, but wrong compression rings. I thought we'd have to buy four sets of rings and mix and match to come up with rings. Brandy called Hastings and they said they can come up with a set for an 8 cylinder, way cheaper than the 6 cylinder set that we ordered for a 1550, so we think we have some on the way, but if somebody is unlucky enough to have one of these original bore 1600s, you might have a serious issue if you ever need rings. Take a piston to somebody who can get in to the paper books and order them by the bore size and ring groove size or you'll be sending parts back.

I'll update this for the archives just in case somebody still has one with the original pistons. I got those rings today. They're for a Ford V8, so there are two extra rings each. The set is a Hastings 562.

 

[Welding man]

pistonrings.net This guy has rings for about anything. I tore down 3 Oliver 70 engines. They all had different piston and ring combinations. He had them all.