creative or just wrong?

[gildardo01]

so i was working on another 350 for my self, it will be a daily drive in a truck, i won´t be racing it or anything... anyways i accidentally broke a top ring on a piston because i was trying to free it (after i let it sit over night in marvel mystery oil).. and i thought either i have to order a new single ring or buy a new set. Then i saw some pistons i took out of a ford 390 a while back and i thought to my self what if i take a ring from that and make it fit the chevy piston ring, and that's what i did... i filed the ring so it would fit freely onto the piston and filed the ring gap to 0.18 i compared it to the other chevy rings and they looked the same, i know the material might be different since the original ring i had for the chevy was chromolly and the new ring i made it cast iron, but like i said its not a blown nor a racing engine... have you guys ever done something like this, or is it just plain out dumb...

[Irish_Alley]

since you tore the engine down all ready why not just buy a re-ring kit or new rings. this seams kind of like changing the oil but not changing the oil filter

[gildardo01]

actually the rings were new, and i had the engine still siting in the stand in a shed i have out back it has been sitting there for about almost a year and i went to take a look at it last week and found it had some minor rust in a cylinder.... the engine has new pistons, the block is freshly honed, to bearings and everything...  i decided to take the caps out to apply lube once more just to be safe before i bolted the heads and broke in the engine... i also decided to take out the piston from the cylinder from the one that developed the rust thats when i found the rings being stuck i guess due to the moister... i sanded off the rust with a 220 grip sand paper, it came out great you can still see the cross pattern un the cylinder bore...

[Blazin]

I can never get away with stuff like this, but I know a guy that could probably get away with putting the whole 390 piston in, and the motor would run lake a scared rabbit!

[gildardo01]

when you say run like a scared rabbit... is that good or bad? the ford piston diameter is 4.05 i think.... would he actually hone the block .050 to get the piston to fit?

[Blazin]

Thats a good thing.
Missing the point. This guy can toss a pile of mismatched parts together, and they turn on. I spend a bunch of money on new stuff, and always seem to have some pain in the but problem!

[werewolfx13]

I thought I was the only one cursed with that luck Blazin. Or, I guess you could say "blessed with the opportunity to develop character"

[DnStClr]

I don't know if it would be a good thing to do or not. The top ring is the compression ring. Putting a used SOB ring on there might create blow-by, or at least it would create new grooves in the cylinder, and I would expect to see  lower compression and probably a hotter piston, don't ya think?. Advice like that is usually worth what ya pay for it!

[gildardo01]

i dont think it´ll be all that bad.. i think i can easily get over 1500k miles on the engine... i´t wont be driven hard and i take car of my stuff... anyways i know this one guy that would install aluminum shims in between the used pistons and the used rings to make them a little tighter and last longer... the aluminum would come from beer cans no joke.... the engine would stop smoking and run for like another 50k miles... the first time he told me i thought he was crazy... but i saw it one day years back when he was working on an old 4cyl datsun pick up... still running to this day....

[bd]

...the aluminum would come from beer cans no joke....

LOL  -  Seriously, it depends on the brew master!  Blazin... Thirsty... what do you guys think?  Do Datsuns prefer Kirin, or will they run on Bud?

Now, Chevy and GMC... they're a whole different matter!  It's got to be an all American (Oops!!  My bad...) Chinese brew!


 


Gildardo,  that is amusing!      You'll probably be okay as long as the ring dimensions are the same.  But, it's a roll of one die.  You might see some differential wear in that single cylinder due to ring tension/material.  If the ring dimensions are not the same, you might experience accelerated wear or damage. 

Like Blazin commented, you could get another 300K out of that motor with the (and this is painful to say) Ford ring.      Whatever you do, I can assure you of one thing, everyone here will be interested in the outcome....  You'll have to keep us apprised!   

The question you should ask yourself is whether the edification (even if only a minor gamble) is worth the price of a single slug ring set.  How important is it that the engine runs trouble free for the next (fill in the blank) _______ miles?  I might be hesitant if I needed to rely on the vehicle.  Frankly, it might depend on the brand of beer.   

Cheers!!!


P.S. - The only way you can kill a Datsun is with a wood stake!

[Blazin]

" P.S. - The only way you can kill a Datsun is with a wood stake! "
That goes for most older Asian rigs!

I think if it was a farm / cord wood / old plow truck that just did your own prpoerty, or around town, I would take the chance. If its something your gona depend on to get to, and from work, etc. I would spring for a new set of rings for that one cylinder. Any decent auto parts store can order you a set of rings for one cylinder.

[gildardo01]

you all really got me thinking.... i´m going to search for a set of rings for one cylinder.... still have the engine out... so why take chances.... thanks for all the opinions....

[thirsty]

...the aluminum would come from beer cans no joke....

LOL  -  Seriously, it depends on the brew master!  Blazin... Thirsty... what do you guys think?  Do Datsuns prefer Kirin, or will they run on Bud?

I don't always repair piston rings with beer cans but when I do, I prefer Michelob Light....Stay thirsty my friends. lol


I don't believe the beer can trick. Would have to see some proof. Really I wouldn't give the cylinder more than 30 seconds with a piece of aluminum can attached to the piston.

[DnStClr]

i think i can easily get over 1500k miles on the engine...

  I may have to get some of those Ford rings! lol!

[gildardo01]

i think i can easily get over 1500k miles on the engine...

  I may have to get some of those Ford rings! lol!

woah typo.... 150k sounds better...