Piston rings - oil control ring options

[rsportvolvo]

While my car is at the fabricators I'm spec'ing out parts for my engine build. I have a Total Seal ring set, but I'm looking at oil control ring options. I'd like to get my hands on a set of Hastings Flex-vent oil control rings, but they don't appear to be available in my size. Any tips on oil control ring setups that can be shared?

[rsportvolvo]

So I just spoke with Dawn Hill @ Hastings and I was able to confirm fitment for an alternate application oil control ring and it's the Flex-vent style too. :)

Deves is going to get back to me as they are checking the radial dims.

Now that I have some options does anyone have some testing guidelines aside from standard pull tests?

[MMiskoe]

Too bad drilling drain holes in the rings is not an option. That's what what provides oil control.

[Gary L]

Too bad drilling drain holes in the rings is not an option. That's what what provides oil control.

This was a typo, correct? Seems to me that "Piston rings are unrestricted." (page 358 - 2010 GCR) pretty much allows drilling holes, or anything else you might want to do to the little buggers. :D

[joeg]

I think he was referring to drilling the pistons.

[Flyinglizard]

Dont use any oil on the pistons when you put those Total Seals in. Use very little WD 40, or nothing.
I have run these in the last 40 engines. They work very well. if you dont oilt them at build.

[MMiskoe]

Yes, that was both poorly worded and poorly delivered sarcasm. Drilling the pistons just below the oil rings to allow the scraped oil a place to go is the real answer. Visiting a shop that builds roundy-round motors one evening the guy picked up a piston from a miata and in 5 seconds of looking at it shrugged and said "I bet you guys burned some oil, ring profile is nice, but doesn't work". He was right. All because the pistons don't have the holes to drain the oil. He then showed me a piston from an engine that had no limitations on such things and explained a bit on how the rings need to work, including the 1/32" or so dia holes most of the way around the piston. It was pretty interesting.

[evanwebb]

I'm interested in the discussion about the holes below the oil control rings, have any pictures? (My interest would be for a non-IT engine). Do you mean literally just below the oil control rings on the skirt or behind the rings? Like how many, a dozen or so? Thanks!

[Flyinglizard]

VW has holes behind the oil ring. Tha oil has a place to go. MM

[MMiskoe]

I'm interested in the discussion about the holes below the oil control rings, have any pictures? (My interest would be for a non-IT engine). Do you mean literally just below the oil control rings on the skirt or behind the rings? Like how many, a dozen or so? Thanks!


They were just below the oil ring, from the outside through the skirt. They were all the way around except where the skirt gets thick for the wrist pins. Probably spaced 5/32" apart.

I looked on Wiseco Piston's page, but they don't have good pictures of their stuff.

[Flyinglizard]

VW piston , oil return hole centerlines are just below the oil rings. (Some of the hole is under the ring.)