Re using cast iron rings?

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Princess Valiant

Princess Valiant

A.K.A. Rainy Day Auto
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So I'm not going to mention which youtuber said it because I'm not throwing dirt at anyone but I recently watched a video and it was mentioned that you can more often than not, reuse your old cast iron rings.

This actually makes sense in certain conditions like my 318 engine. It was running, I junked the car around it and now I'm cleaning it up for re use in another car.

I am going to hone but the aforementioned video also recommended honing but reusing the cast rings and only after a good inspection and if they appear square to the bore, as verified by a test with light.

Is this an old timers trick that really works or should I stop watching YouTube?
 
Cheap as rings are, I wouldn't, but go for it. Sounds like you're sold.
 
The cast rings will break in again to your fresh hone job.

Clean the carbon out of the ring lands on the pistons. That is the biggest failure on a used engine, rings stuck to the pistons from carbon build up. Then they no longer function.
 
I it is not an old timers trick. So u have heard the saying do it right or don’t do it at all. It’s a lot of work to go thru having to do it over again. I only ever have time to do it right and not over again. So far that has worked for me for about 50 years. I think ur gonna have an oil sucking pig that can’t get out of its own way. So are u probably use the old bearings and oil pump along with the timing chain and gaskets. Kim
 
Princess Valiant said:
So I'm not going to mention which youtuber said it because I'm not throwing dirt at anyone but I recently watched a video and it was mentioned that you can more often than not, reuse your old cast iron rings.

This actually makes sense in certain conditions like my 318 engine. It was running, I junked the car around it and now I'm cleaning it up for re use in another car.

I am going to hone but the aforementioned video also recommended honing but reusing the cast rings and only after a good inspection and if they appear square to the bore, as verified by a test with light.

Is this an old timers trick that really works or should I stop watching YouTube?
Click to expand...
If it works.. how well does it work...is the question.
Theres a big difference.
I wouldn't even take them off the pistons if were shade treeing that hard 'which I don't'.
Spend 20 bucks on rings from engine tech or something. Dont move them into different holes either if you DO try this experiment .
Ask yourself this... is 20 bucks worth a potential re tearing down of this motor again and buying another gasket set.
 
oldkimmer said:
I it is not an old timers trick. So u have heard the saying do it right or don’t do it at all. It’s a lot of work to go thru having to do it over again. I only ever have time to do it right and not over again. So far that has worked for me for about 50 years. I think ur gonna have an oil sucking pig that can’t get out of its own way. So are u probably use the old bearings and oil pump along with the timing chain and gaskets. Kim
Click to expand...
I'd go with new rings regardless. I've never reused bearings either or the oil pump I guess that you can.
 
You want to re-use piston rings??? :realcrazy:

Do you wash paper plates also??? :rolleyes:

Some things are meant to be used once and then thrown away...
shake_head.gif
 
I have some used chewing gum also if you want to re-use it... It has some good chews left in it...
 
I would think they would wear in the thrust directions.

Reminds me about the joke about reusing condoms - turn it inside out and shake the &^$k out of it.
 
I'll get killed for this, I say go for it. Learn something, the acquisition of knowledge is not with out effort; when done you will know with certainty if it can be done. As already stated put the rings back in the same hole they came out of, think "how does a ring know it came out of it's cylinder?"

Food for thought........years ago in "Car Craft" magazine, Jon Kasse (sp?) did a test of what makes more power, Hemi or wedge, he used a 460 Ford as his base because it can mount Hemi or wedge heads; when he switched from wedge heads to Hemi, he had to change pistons due to chamber shape, he moved rings from the wedge pistons to the Hemi pistons also. Love , hate Kasse (sp?) if you like, I think he has won more Engine Masters than any one posting on this board ( I could be wrong ) so I would think he knows something.

BTW the Hemi made more power
 
Are they worn on the land surfaces? What is the gap? Are the piston lands worn? Rings that seal are the second most important part of a good running efficient engine. Inspect carefully and measure everything when working with used parts. No fun redoing an engine.
 
JBurch said:
I'll get killed for this, I say go for it. Learn something, the acquisition of knowledge is not with out effort; when done you will know with certainty if it can be done. As already stated put the rings back in the same hole they came out of, think "how does a ring know it came out of it's cylinder?"

Food for thought........years ago in "Car Craft" magazine, Jon Kasse (sp?) did a test of what makes more power, Hemi or wedge, he used a 460 Ford as his base because it can mount Hemi or wedge heads; when he switched from wedge heads to Hemi, he had to change pistons due to chamber shape, he moved rings from the wedge pistons to the Hemi pistons also. Love , hate Kasse (sp?) if you like, I think he has won more Engine Masters than any one posting on this board ( I could be wrong ) so I would think he knows something.

BTW the Hemi made more power
Click to expand...

There is no resemblance to life as she knows it to a newly built race engine with a few dyno pulls on it. Let alone the precision boring, honing, piston and ring quality compared to a used 318 stock motor.
 
Well...the cost of a gasket set will be probably more than the rings so if it doesn't work you have that expense again. Also, someone may have mentioned this but there will probably be a difference between the top and bottom of the rings from how they wore in so I'm not sure if they won't wear super quick if you reverse them. I only am thinking this because Quincy air compressor rings actually are ground with an angle on them and they have a pip on I believe the top side.
This brings a story to mind though. When I was in tech school in the late 70's I had a Datsun and I bought a rebuild kit from JC Witney (first mistake). A month after the rebuild it loses power and started smoking real bad. I ripped it apart and besides the exhaust valves being melted, the rings were made of like the same metal as spiral wound notebook wire is...they easily spread open and never went back to the original shape! LOL
 
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Princess Valiant said:
So I'm not going to mention which youtuber said it because I'm not throwing dirt at anyone but I recently watched a video and it was mentioned that you can more often than not, reuse your old cast iron rings.

This actually makes sense in certain conditions like my 318 engine. It was running, I junked the car around it and now I'm cleaning it up for re use in another car.

I am going to hone but the aforementioned video also recommended honing but reusing the cast rings and only after a good inspection and if they appear square to the bore, as verified by a test with light.

Is this an old timers trick that really works or should I stop watching YouTube?
Click to expand...
Rings are cheap, I guess it depends on how worthless your own labor is. And checking rings with a flashlight, is NOT a old timers trick, it's a hack.
 
Princess Valiant said:
So I'm not going to mention which youtuber said it because I'm not throwing dirt at anyone but I recently watched a video and it was mentioned that you can more often than not, reuse your old cast iron rings.

This actually makes sense in certain conditions like my 318 engine. It was running, I junked the car around it and now I'm cleaning it up for re use in another car.

I am going to hone but the aforementioned video also recommended honing but reusing the cast rings and only after a good inspection and if they appear square to the bore, as verified by a test with light.

Is this an old timers trick that really works or should I stop watching YouTube?
Click to expand...
No
 
A minor engine overhaul I would change out the rings and bearings, and have the heads checked. Or just save yourself some time and buy one of these "overhaul kits" and the out come will be pretty much the same. lol

overhaul in a can.jpg
 
Demonic said:
I would think they would wear in the thrust directions.

Reminds me about the joke about reusing condoms - turn it inside out and shake the &^$k out of it.
Click to expand...


Ribbed condoms for her pleasure... Wear them inside out for yours... :D
 
ACME SS said:
Well...the cost of a gasket set will be probably more than the rings so if it doesn't work you have that expense again. Also, someone may have mentioned this but there will probably be a difference between the top and bottom of the rings from how they wore in so I'm not sure if they won't wear super quick if you reverse them. I only am thinking this because Quincy air compressor rings actually are ground with an angle on them and they have a pip on I believe the top side.
This brings a story to mind though. When I was in tech school in the late 70's I had a Datsun and I bought a rebuild kit from JC Witney (first mistake). A month after the rebuild it loses power and started smoking real bad. I ripped it apart and besides the exhaust valves being melted, the rings were made of like the same metal as spiral wound notebook wire is...they easily spread open and never went back to the original shape! LOL
Click to expand...
The rings I just put in my bike are beveled. They have a top and bottom, and go on the piston in a certain order also...
 
Have you disassembled the engine yet? A lot of time with older higher mileage engines there is a bore ridge and when removing the pistons it will damage the rings and sometimes the pistons.

Lets start all over. What is you intent or goal with the 318?
 
I'm in the new ring club, too. If you want to compare, get a fish scale and pull a piston through the bore with the old rings on and then install new rings on the pistons and repeat. You should see more resistance with new rings from tension with a new set. Ring tension is pretty important for a street engine.
 
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