Are These Ring Considered Seated, or Not Seated?

[VFR750]

This is Piston #1, 900 miles since rebuild.

Do the experts consider these rings worn in enough to be considered seated?

Or, due to the limited edge polishing, consider these unseated?

Is this what unseated rings look like?



Background:
Rebuilt engine in May, followed break in procedure. Start with SAE30 and new filter, after 20 minutes drained (& new filter) and filled with VR1 20W-50 Oil for 38 miles, change + filter, ~850 miles on VR120W-50.

Still burning ~1qt/350 miles. I have run this engine quite aggressively to try and seat the rings, but it has not seemed to work.

When I pulled off the carbs, I found a lot of oil in the intake runners. I though it was the heads, so off they went. Turns out there was nothing wrong with them.

So that leaves the rings.

BTW, the rings did migrate. both upper rings ended up on the same side, and the oil ring rotated 90 to the other side. Can't stop rings from moving.
This is what they looked like when I installed the rings.

[Trackrash]

I once tore down my hotrodded VW motor because of oil in the cylinders. I thought it had a broken ring. Turned out to be the same thing as in your motor, the oil ring turned to have it's gap at the bottom.

I would be interested in hearing what the experts have to say about this as well.

[mreid]

Did you check the actual gaps in the rings by setting the rings only in the cylinders before installing on the Pistons?

[VFR750]

Yes. Ring gaps were individually set based on factory specification. And all rings were set as shown in my top shot picture.

[Steve@Rennsport]

Leakdowns?????

[VFR750]

Mid-20s

[VFR750]

Trying to figure out if it is a problem or just that the rings still need to broken in. after 900 miles I would have thought I was close.

[Trackrash]

New cylinders?

[VFR750]

Millenium technologies, Nikasil plated, Alusil cylinders. Goetze rings, JE pistons

[cgarr]

I have heard, Goetze rings are a ***** to get seated!

[Flat6pac]

It's always been my experience that the rings will move to where they want to go.
Bruce

[stormcrow]

The two rings you point out at the top are tapered. Those are the compression rings and that is why they are shiny at the lower edge. The two rings at the bottom are the oil rings. That is why they are flat against the cylinder wall.

You can do research on engine ring construction and design to give you way more info then I have to offer.

[stormcrow]

One other thing, did you check the gap between the ends of the rings when compressed. If you squeeze the ring to where it bottoms out on the piston there should only be minimal gap according to the specs of your particular vehicle.

That also help keep the rings from rotating. As you well know when the piston is cold the gap will be larger. When both the piston and ring expands the gap is almost closed. That may be the reason for burning oil prematurely your gap may be too wide.

[stormcrow]

Another thin with regard to ring installation the gap on those rings need to be set so they are a quarter distance from each ring.

Example first gap 12:00 second ring second gap 3:00 position, third ring third gap 6:00 position and fourth ring 9:00 position.

Doing that keeps the oil from migrating through with regard to the oil rings, and it improves compression with regard to the compression rings.

[Steve@Rennsport]

Originally Posted by VFR750

Mid-20s

Nope, not seated yet.

FWIW,.....I've had trouble seating Goetze rings with Millenium's nikasil-type plating; its different from US Chrome's process.

You may need to use a domestically made ring package after deglazing the cylinder walls.

[VFR750]

Steve, cgarr

Thanks for your thoughts on Goetze rings. And related to the plating.

How should I deglaze the cylinders? Hone or just scotchbrite?

Any options on sources of rings? Goetze seem to be the standard.

[VFR750]

Ok. I searched the forum. Quite a few options on deglaze. Seems red scotchbrite is the preferred method.

[JFairman]

From the factory manual if it's any help.

[VFR750]

4 - 10 - 2

Interesting spacing recommendation.

[Steve@Rennsport]

Originally Posted by VFR750

Seems red scotchbrite is the preferred method.

Yes, thats correct.

Its VERY VERY critical that you wash the cylinder bores VERY thoroughly with hot soapy water until a white cloth wipes clean through the bores. I use cloth baby diapers moistened with either light oil or WD40 which lets me know when things are clean.

Failure to do this properly leaves very fine particles of carborundum in the bores which will rapidly wear the rings.