Piston ring indexer?

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DesertRat

DesertRat

Leading edge boomer
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I am getting ready to assemble my engine and need to file fit the rings. Can someone put me on to a good ring-squaring tool for a 273 + .040 bore so I can check end gap? Saw the roll of tape idea and the $50 one on summit, just looking for options.
TIA-DR:coffee2:
 
DesertRat said:
I am getting ready to assemble my engine and need to file fit the rings. Can someone put me on to a good ring-squaring tool for a 273 + .040 bore so I can check end gap? Saw the roll of tape idea and the $50 one on summit, just looking for options.
TIA-DR:coffee2:
Click to expand...

If the pistons are flat tops, just use one of them upside down. That's what I do.
 
You must have Hypo pistons?
 
Can't remember what I used. Dang No help. lol
 
Got an old 273 piston? Saw the top off of one at the oil ring groove and file to smooth the cut land wall down to the bottom of the ring land. Add some tape to make it as snug a fit as needed. Insert a pin for a handle.
 
I just use either the new or an old cleaned of piston to square them up.
 
Can't you just use the skirt of the piston? That's going to be more square/tighter fit than the crown anyway...
 
I always use a 1/4 in bolt about an inch long, just run the head around the deck and the bottom of the bolt against the ring. All good suggestions here, which ever way works for you.
 
I made one out of a piece of PVC pipe.........put it up in a lathe, turned the diameter and cut a squaring shoulder.
 
Looks like my choices for head gaskets for my 273 commando build are Mr Gasket 11216 with compressed thickness of .28" and the standby Felpro 1008 with the compressed thickness of .39". With stock heads and Egge 10.5 pistons any advice? Lunati cam about .460 lift and 220 duration near as I can remember.
DR
 
What are al the details that determine CR?
- Head type? Closed, open.....
- Head cc's if you have it?
- Any block decking?
 
I have been reading every small block build thread for three days, I'm blind. I'm just saying I expect to be around 9+ CR, don't really care just wondering with stock heads on a 273 and Egge domed pistons if the .39 compressed or the .28 compressed would be preferable. I would expect a small CR gain with the thinner gasket.
Thanks DR---
 
I had trouble with .028s blowing out at about 11 to 1. EDIT see correction below
The Felpros work, and I have reused mine up to 3 times!
The compression volume difference works out to about 2.5cc. Plug that into your compression calculator. I think it will work out to about .25 point in compression.Perhaps a bit more.

I use the piston skirts too, spanning the gap with a thrust face
 
Got several sets of the MG 1121G in use....including one engine with 11.3 to 1 compression...been together now for 9 yrs...with hundreds of passes....best pass 10.31 @ 128

clean the deck..clean the head surface...
 
^^Now that you mention it; those .028s were on when I found out the machine shop had messed up my decks. I forgot about that. Thx Tony.
So DesertRat ; ignore my comment re the .028s.
 
DesertRat said:
I have been reading every small block build thread for three days, I'm blind. I'm just saying I expect to be around 9+ CR, don't really care just wondering with stock heads on a 273 and Egge domed pistons if the .39 compressed or the .28 compressed would be preferable. I would expect a small CR gain with the thinner gasket.
Thanks DR---
Click to expand...
I mentioned the CR so that it does not get too high and you push too close to the detonation limit. It is planned for general driving? Is hitest (93 octane) all the time OK? If you are at 9.5 with the .039 Felpro, then that would be my limit with a street level of camming. The .028 gasket would push it up to around 9.8.
 
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