Ring end gap for performance application

[ssdurango]

This fall I dyno'd my 3.4 and broke a ring land on the second run. Now I'm rebuilding the engine with with new pistons. Along with my new sealed power pistons came a note that says that if you are using these pistons in a high performance application you need to expand the endgap by 40% - or you may break ring lands!

My last set of sealed power pistons didn't come with this note.

Has anyone else been expanding ring end gaps on turbo or supercharged engines?

Thanks,
Tom

[geoffinbc]

It is common practice. I am actually surprised the rings did not come with any special instructions. But I guess that would depend on whether the set was for performance or stock.

[MidnightriderZ24]

yeah, just pick up a ring filer, and feeler gauges. that is exactly true about having a bigger gap. is set mine to .026''

[95Grand-Am]

Do you know what your top ring end gap was in the motor that broke the top ting land? I'm gonig to use .018" on my NA build.

[ssdurango]

I'll measure this weekend.

[Driver_10]

Proper ring-gap should be .004 for every inch of cylinder bore. Both the top and second rings are gapped the same.

For turbo applications you'd be safer to gap the rings .005-.006 per cylinder inch.

(You need looser all-around clearances for high performance applications)