Filing rings

Well,i've been filing rings today and was just curious about what method some of you guy's use. I use the type w/wheel desk mount. It use to take me about 3 hrs to do all 8 sets.I now have cut it to a couple hrs. I usually have to pull the ring out 3 times before i'm satisfied w/cut. There has to be a quicker way imo. I dread this part of the build more than any,just because of the time standing in one place that long at a time. And it's even worse when the cutting wheel starts wearing out. Is there a faster way that is precise?

thats how I do it. I would starve to death if I did it for a living......

Rick,

I bought an electric ring filer with a dial indicator built into it. Go ahead and buy the extra spare wheels while you're at it.

I don't dread the ring filing,,, the pain in the butt is going through bearings, torquing mains and rods, in order to get the main and rod clearances right imo.

Uncle Charlie

bbf-falcon wrote:Well,i've been filing rings today and was just curious about what method some of you guy's use. I use the type w/wheel desk mount. It use to take me about 3 hrs to do all 8 sets.I now have cut it to a couple hrs. I usually have to pull the ring out 3 times before i'm satisfied w/cut. There has to be a quicker way imo. I dread this part of the build more than any,just because of the time standing in one place that long at a time. And it's even worse when the cutting wheel starts wearing out. Is there a faster way that is precise?

You know Rick, I have tried all sorts of stuff; the hand driven wheel ring grinder with all the different type wheel disks available in the marketplace; I own a power grinder with the indicator, (a cheap one though so, an ABS is probably a lot nicer) but, the process I like the best is still to go to Home Depot to buy a new SHARP mill file for every engine - put it in a vice and file the ring gap against it holding the ring with both hands. Then use small knife sharpening stone to break the filed edges.

The first of 8 rings takes time to get the number of strokes needed to get where you want to be but, the 7 after that go really fast. All eight holes - top and 2nd rings - take about 90 minutes. The ten bucks I pay for the file is nothing when compared to the time I save.

It seems people don't like it 'cause it is not cool and has no modern technology involved to quench their ego.

I will start filing my rings as soon as diamond get my pistons here been ordered for awhile hope the come anyday now.Looks as my dogs will be barking by the time i get them done.

On my last build, I bought one of those hand crank jobs, and my neighbor, who builds motors for a living , came by and filed 'em for me while I stood around and drank beer. He must have been bored.

He was real quick about it. Only took 3 or 4 beers for the whole job. This was for my SBF 408 street stuff.

? is do u sip or funnel your beer lol

I've been doing the same thing the last couple of days. Checking bearing clearances, and filing rings. I have all the top rings done and I was supposed to be finishing the bottom ones and starting final assembly today but instead I've been shoveling snow. It's very hard to get motivated with 8" of snow on the ground. I've done it with just a file and with the hand cranked wheel. Either way seems to take me forever. What i hate the most is getting to within .001" of where I need to be and then accidentally going .001" or .002" too much because I went just a few turns too many.

Dont get any better than that!

512Fairlane wrote:I've been doing the same thing the last couple of days. Checking bearing clearances, and filing rings. I have all the top rings done and I was supposed to be finishing the bottom ones and starting final assembly today but instead I've been shoveling snow. It's very hard to get motivated with 8" of snow on the ground. I've done it with just a file and with the hand cranked wheel. Either way seems to take me forever. What i hate the most is getting to within .001" of where I need to be and then accidentally going .001" or .002" too much because I went just a few turns too many.

I try to get as close to my target as possible.But .001/.002 is not going to make a difference one way or the other when it comes to rings.

Ring gap REQUIREMENT is a MINIMUM number.

bigjohn2007 wrote:? is do u sip or funnel your beer lol

\



swill......

Ok so I just made a really bone head move. I started on my second rings tonight and since my top rings took so much filing I made the mistake of filing the first one a little before I even stuck it in the bore. I was shooting for around .024" or .025" for my 4.400" bore. Well the rings out of the box had a .026" gap. The first one that I filed before fitting has about .032". Stupid I know but is it worth trying to get a new ring or just run it. I was surprised the rings had that much gap to start because the top rings started with an interference.

You should invite Cletus to oversee your work.

most times the gap on the 2nd ring is bigger anyway.

512Fairlane wrote:Ok so I just made a really bone head move. I started on my second rings tonight and since my top rings took so much filing I made the mistake of filing the first one a little before I even stuck it in the bore. I was shooting for around .024" or .025" for my 4.400" bore. Well the rings out of the box had a .026" gap. The first one that I filed before fitting has about .032". Stupid I know but is it worth trying to get a new ring or just run it. I was surprised the rings had that much gap to start because the top rings started with an interference.

open the rest up and spray it!

512Fairlane wrote:Ok so I just made a really bone head move. I started on my second rings tonight and since my top rings took so much filing I made the mistake of filing the first one a little before I even stuck it in the bore. I was shooting for around .024" or .025" for my 4.400" bore. Well the rings out of the box had a .026" gap. The first one that I filed before fitting has about .032". Stupid I know but is it worth trying to get a new ring or just run it. I was surprised the rings had that much gap to start because the top rings started with an interference.

Make sure that ring is 1" down in the bore and it IS square in the bore. It's unusual to have that much gap before cutting.

I have a stepped tool for lining up the ring and setting the distance from the deck. Not sure why they came with so much gap from the factory. They were very consistent though. I didn't have to file any of them. All were right at .026". Just wish I'd tried the first one first. Guess I'll just run it. I probably spend too much time worrying about .006" of an inch difference.

Don't worry about it. There won't be any noticable difference.

You can order one ring, I had a guy at total seal just mail me one. He didn't even charge me for it. But that was a good while back.

You might have to wait a few days to finish up the short block.

I have several broken sets now in the shop I can rob if I mess one up.

My machinist has a buttload of odd rings that he keeps for just such an occasion. They're free for his customers. You might ask yours if he's got one.

bbf-falcon wrote:

512Fairlane wrote:Ok so I just made a really bone head move. I started on my second rings tonight and since my top rings took so much filing I made the mistake of filing the first one a little before I even stuck it in the bore. I was shooting for around .024" or .025" for my 4.400" bore. Well the rings out of the box had a .026" gap. The first one that I filed before fitting has about .032". Stupid I know but is it worth trying to get a new ring or just run it. I was surprised the rings had that much gap to start because the top rings started with an interference.

Make sure that ring is 1" down in the bore and it IS square in the bore. It's unusual to have that much gap before cutting.

I usually put one oil ring in one piston and use it upside down to push the ring square in the bore.

Yep,that'll work

Would any u guys have a ideal what i should file my rings 4.420 bore piston are going be diamonds if they ever get here.Motor will be sprayed up to 250.

When you get your ring package it will give you the info you need for nitrous or boosted engines. I've never built a engine for nos,all I know is they need to be wider .