IQ52
Well-Known Member
Yikes! What brand? Total Seal? Hasting's?
How do you know when there is ring flutter? Noise? After disassembly? The blow-by?
(Running a 4.5" bore with Total Seals)
Ring flutter? How did we know? The blow-by meter went berserk. So we kept opening the 2nd ring gap and it finally settled down.
On a normally aspirated street, strip, circle track application and 4.500" bore conventional ring, I would be going .020" top ring gap and .026" second ring gap.
Look at the Total Seal web page and see the recommended gaps. Look at the 2nd ring gap on the Gapless top ring. Why do you suppose they open the 2nd ring gap on a top ring they expect to seal tightly? If you seal a conventional top ring tightly why wouldn't the same reasoning apply?
http://www.totalseal.com/pdf/GAPCHART.pdf
I really feel like the 2nd ring is more of a secondary oil scraper ring than a compression ring. Figure on the top ring to seal the cylinder. Use the tightest safe gap you have the courage to use, and let the built up gasses escape by the 2nd ring.
Even Cummins diesel engines now use a .060" 2nd ring gap on a 4.00" bore.