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Does anyone know where to get some piston Rings for my series 81. I had a real sticky one and of course broke it while trying to loosen it up. Egge doesn’t have original rings and theirs are to deep. I plan to check with Hastings tomorrow during regular business hours.
You also may wish to check with Arias, they have beautiful (and functional!) stuff….
I found some difficult to locate rings from Grant. I have a number of piston ring catalogs, if you have the diameter, height and depth I might be able find interchange applications to help find workable rings. They look like basic 1/8″ thick plain compressions and a 3/16 oil ring. I won’t be able to get to it until the weekend.
Jim”
I just am about to receive pistons, rings and pins from BWE Piston rings.
Very impressed with their service. They make custom forged pistons, rings and pins (any size). Talk to Bruce. bwepistonrings.com. [email protected]
Thanks all, I will let you know how things work out.
IH James, I got the measurements.
Bore = 3.5″
Compression Ring Thickness = .125
Compression Ring Depth = .100
Oil Ring Thickness = .188
Oil Ring Depth = .100
“
Be careful buying pistons, there is lots of junk being sold, and Pistons are cracking………more than you would think!
I’ve had some serious issues with Egge, though some people seem to think they’re the know all/be all. I’m a believer in Arias, a little pricey but you’re done with it for your lifetime. I have a set of Arias pistons and rings for my 1910 Buick Model 16, they are so pretty I hate to hide them in the engine.
Proper rings can make or break an engine, so to speak and as you know, so go with quality…
Another note on Egge. They just lost their Babbitt guy. Up and left, as they say.
Eggs Babbitt guy probably felt pour, so left….he was just scraping by, probably had some bearing on his decision….his leaving might cause some additional friction in the workplace…
Good stuff David-I wonder what lead to this…
I agree, great stuff!!!
David,
Lol. I think your apple cider has been fermenting too long. I love a clever mind.
I use Total Seal in Arizona. They can make any ring you need. Just call them with the dimensions.
800-874-2753
I’ll look through my piles of supplies, I’m 99% sure I have a ring that will work for your application. If you want a used ring.. I call them ‘Tried and True’.. 
What you need to look at is the ring gap with your old rings: This is a good indication of how worn they are.
For a 3.50″ bore, the ring gap should be no less than .014″ and not over .025″ . These are very general specs.
Some engines are a bit more specific with the range of gap preferred.. A good average is .004″-.005″/inch of bore.
Check the gap with a ring up near the top of the cylinder bore, this is where the greatest wear usually is, Then use one of your pistons without rings or pin to push the ring down to the middle of the cylinder bore, the ring gap will close up.
If the rings are worn, or the cylinder bore worn or has a lot of taper, [wide at the top, correct at bottom] then the ring gap will clearly show it.
Reassembling an engine with used rings has a high likelihood of the rings not sealing or seating very well. The bores do not wear perfectly round, and a ring usually will find it’s ‘spot’ and then the ring will wear the same as the bore.. so if you don’t get the rings back on the same piston, in the same groove, in the same position on the piston, the oval wear patterns may not match, and you will have to endure some oil burning and compression loss, until either the rings rotate around in their grooves and get back to their ‘spot’.. or wear to fit tighter against the cylinder wall.
All that said, usually our engines run ok with reusing old rings,, but don’t expect low oil consumption.
Greg Long
Charles, are you just trying to replace the broken ring or are you replacing all? Your piston looks to be in very good shape.
Jim
James,
I am just replacing a couple of rings. I don’t want to admit, but yes, I broke during cleaning. When I pulled the cylinder block off they were in really good shape but a couple rings were stuck from sitting so long.
Greg is sending me a couple in the mail that we think may work.
To avoid breaking any more rings, I have resorted to soaking the pistons in either Kroil or a mix of transmission fluid and acetone.
Just find a cup/can that the piston will fit in and put it in the fluid (top first). Make sure the fluid covers the rings, and leave it for a couple weeks.
The spring tension in the rings will pop them out once the fluid does its work. If they won’t come out then they are either broken or need some heat possibly
Thanks William I will certainly use it next time.
I’ve broken a few rings myself. I won’t even put cast iron oil rings back in because they are so fragile when reinstalling and if one breaks there is no way of knowing until it is smoking like a steam engine. I’m not the most skilled mechanic!
Since you have them all out I would consider replacing them all and honing the cylinders, it wouldn’t be too expensive and can be done at home with a hone and hand drill. Honing should answer any seating issue as long as the taper isn’t too great. Cast iron rings with no effective air filter were only expected to last ~15,000 miles.
I would also consider advancing to the 1930’s and putting in a type 70 (Perfect Circle jargon)outside cut scraper ring in #2 groove and a 1950’s technology chrome rail expander ring for the oil. They won’t break on installation and will cut down the smoke at idle and riding compression. They reduce the pumping of oil past the rings on the inlet stroke under high vacuum. The rings stuck from deposits is mute testimony to the excess oil being pumped up.
I have to check the depth, but if the same I put these same dimension rings in my ’35.
I apologize for more free advice than wanted!
Jim