Ring direction for obsolete engine?

[Ken_Parkman]

I'm working on a Willys Tornado OHC out of a 62 truck and I have a set of NOS rings and pistons for it. FWIW the rings are the service bullitin reduced oil consumption version; cast instead of the original production chrome.

I di look for a modern ring, but seems to not be directly available, and this is a stockish rebuild.

My problem is there is no instructions in the box, and no "up" marks on the rings. Both 1st and 2nd groove rings have an inside bevel. Is there a guidline for which way is up, or anyone know where I could look for info on this?

Thanks

[ClassAct]

I'm working on a Willys Tornado OHC out of a 62 truck and I have a set of NOS rings and pistons for it. FWIW the rings are the service bullitin reduced oil consumption version; cast instead of the original production chrome.

I di look for a modern ring, but seems to not be directly available, and this is a stockish rebuild.

My problem is there is no instructions in the box, and no "up" marks on the rings. Both 1st and 2nd groove rings have an inside bevel. Is there a guidline for which way is up, or anyone know where I could look for info on this?

Thanks

The bevel goes up on the top ring for sure and IIRC the bevel goes up on the second as well, but I'm not 100% sure on the second anymore. It's been years since I dealt with stuff that old.

Again, IIRC most second rings had no bevel on that early stuff.

There are guys on here who been dealing with this stuff much before my time. Hopefully they'll chime in.

[BillK]

Ken,
According to my AERA software Jeep used the OHC Pontiac engine in 62-65 I wonder if this is a knockoff ? Do you know what the bore size is ? I asked them to see if they had a 62 Willys manual in the library. I guess there are no "dots" of any type on the rings.

[Krooser]

Well that Pontiac deal is a mistake...they didn't come out until '66 and the Jeep engine is not the same.

Btw the bevel goes up

[Krooser]

Well that Pontiac deal is a mistake...they didn't come out until '66 and the Jeep engine is not the same.

Btw the bevel goes up

[BillK]

Well that Pontiac deal is a mistake...they didn't come out until '66 and the Jeep engine is not the same.

Btw the bevel goes up

You are right, I should have known that too I need to tell them to correct it
As far as the rings go I would NEVER assume anything without some documentation. I have seen rings with inside bevels go both ways but there is usually some type of mark on the top surface of the ring.

[gofaster]

Sometimes wetting the ring face with some light oil will make the dot show up so you can see it, if it's actually there.

[Tuner]

https://www.hastingspistonrings.com/tec ... stallation

For oil control the second ring is probably beveled, in which case installed so the scraping edge is down.

[Ken_Parkman]

The bore is 3.344, and the engine is a Willys design (the last) and is an OHC conversion of the Kaiser 226 L head. I have traced the basic design back to a pre-war Graham engine. It was a flop in North America, but lived on with very good success in Argentina when Kaiser moved it there. Production ended in 82, at which point it was a Renault engine.

I can find no marks of any kind on the rings. I'll try the oil idea, but there seems to be nothing.

[4sfed]

The contract edge always goes to the bottom. Put a set on a piston and slide it up and down a couple times. Pull it out and look at the face of the rings. You should be able to tell which edge is touching the bore.

[modok]

Stand the ring up on a flat surface, like glass, or a gauge block, and hold it down with your thumb. So it is standing on it's face.

Observe if it stands straight up, or at an angle, and if it stands solid, or rocks easily a few degrees

You can tell the difference between barrel face, square, and tapered this way.

Tapered rings are scrapers for the second or third ring, they always go with the big end down, so contact is at the bottom.

the inside bevel usually goes up, but on modern "reverse twist" design rings it goes down.
Thus confusing the heck out of the old guys, but not me, you can't fool me.

Can't find rings.... try Grant. They make a lot of rings for industrial sector..

[BillK]

Ken,
I just looked in the Hastings catalog and they show rings for that engine ? Have them in both chrome and plain cast. Dont know if they are definitely available but they are listed. Theirs are barrel faced top and reverse torsional twist second.

[jed]

Stand the ring up on a flat surface, like glass, or a gauge block, and hold it down with your thumb. So it is standing on it's face.

Observe if it stands straight up, or at an angle, and if it stands solid, or rocks easily a few degrees

You can tell the difference between barrel face, square, and tapered this way.

Tapered rings are scrapers for the second or third ring, they always go with the big end down, so contact is at the bottom.

the inside bevel usually goes up, but on modern "reverse twist" design rings it goes down.
Thus confusing the heck out of the old guys,

(((( but not me, you can't fool me.))))))

Can't find rings.... try Grant. They make a lot of rings for industrial sector..

Good insight for ring design. Can't fool an all fool LOL

[engineguyBill]

As has been noted in several previous posts, most top rings are barrel shaped, therefore there is no "top" or "bottom" of the ring and they can be installed either direction. Second rings can be either "reverse" twist or "regular" twist therefore the bevel can be either in the top or the bottom of the ring. Second rings are also tapered and if you look very closely, you will be able to see the taper shaped face of the ring. The "point" side of the face always faces downward towards the oil pan. Think of the tapered face of the ring as acting like a squeegee to wipe excess oil from the cylinder wall.

[Ken_Parkman]

Thanks Everyone. That should be good info to sort it out I'll check the taper this evening.