Piston rings again

[37 chief]

This is a folow up on my previous post. I called hastings and found a ring set for my motor. I was considering using the same rings in one cylinder, after honing to clean up a rust problem. I have a choice of rings they have cast iron rings, and chrome rings. I would think cast iron rings will be more like original, and will seat better. What do you think? Plus the cast rings are 75.00 less money per set. The set for cast iron is 115.65. Stan

 

[JT]

Stan,
used to sell chrome rings to put in small engines that were a little worn, maybe .003-.004. They would have a little more "spring" to them to take up the wear. they worked good, the only downside, they were so hard, it took a long time for them to seat in and not use oil. They also did not recomend honing a cylinder to put chrome rings. do not know if this would be the case for your application, but this was for air cooled engines.
Jim

 

[Mike M]

IS THAT JUST FOR ONE CYL. OR ALL CYLs. ?

And if for all cyls. will they still sell seperate rings ?

 

[JDemaris]

Cast iron rings are designed to wear faster than the cylinder walls and will seat faster and wear out sooner. That's why many older engines that had iron rings can be re-rung without boring the cylinder walls.

Hard rings like chrome will be harder than the cylinder walls and take more abuse when the walls are rusted, pitted, etc. but will take longer to seat. The "break-in" process will rely more on the cylinder-walls wearing a bit to match the rings.

If this was my machine - it would get iron rings for a "quick fix" if I was selling it, and it would get chrome rings if I was planning on keeping it and using it.

 

[Old Ford Mechanic]

I believe you mean steel instead of cast iron? And yes use them instead of the chrome rings.But do hone the cylinders to a good cross hatch finish.Kerosene or diesel fuel is a good hone lubricant.

 

[JDemaris]

I don't know which specific rings at Hastings he's looking at, but there are plenty of piston rings that are chrome plated cast-iron, chrome plated ductile cast-iron, as well as many that are chrome plated steel. Any of the plated rings will survive longer with imperfect cylinder walls - as compared to soft unplated cast-iron like most old cars, trucks, and tractors used.

 

[trucker40]

If the cylinders have any ring groove at the top use the cheaper rings.The hard rings are for straight walls and wont seal as good.If you have it bored and the walls are straight you might want to use the hard rings.If the cylinder is more than .10 out at the top it needs bored or a new sleeve because the new cheap rings wont expand and seal more than that.A parts man told me that,seems to be true.

 

[trucker40]

I think that was supposed to be .010 or ten thousandths of an inch.