total seal ring experience?
 

Well against my wishes my machinist didn't order me another set of JE house brand rings, he ordered a set of total seal rings. I guess this wouldn't be a big deal but it still kinda bothered me that all 6 cylinders didn't have matched sets of rings. BUT the problem arose when I tried to install the piston in the cylinder. It seems that the oil ring is binding somehow. It's gaped correctly (0.016") and it doesn't bind itself when just on the piston but when I installed it into the cylinder it's like everything binds up and I can't move the piston within the cylinder like I can with the other 5 P&C's. Any ideas? I'm pretty bummed about this.. another weekend wasted.

I am planning on using total seal rings for my project.

Are you saying that your rings will be mismatched since you are replacing only one set?

If you are comparing old versus new rings there will be a noticible difference since old rings will move up and down the cylinder a lot easier than will a new set. The oil ring is usually your highest tension ring so it would make sense that its the ring that will make your piston the hardest to move. It it is well oiled and does not contain any debris there should be no problem. If this is going in an old piston are you sure that there are no old carbon deposits in the ring lands causing problems?

No. I bought a set of JE pistons and they only included 5 cylinders worth of rings.. not 6. I asked my machinist to get me another set of rings and he gave me back a set of total seals (1 cylinders worth). I asked for JE house brand which is what I was going to use. SO they will/may be mismatched as in 5 cylinders will have plain rings and 1 total seal rings.

Personally, I would get some "matching" rings or at least some normal rings like Mahle's or Goetz (sp?). I have nothing against Total Seal Rings ('cept they are PIA to install), I have them on one of my own motors.
-Chris