SBC piston rings.

[Lizardracing]

I need to order rings for my JE pistons in my 406 so I can get the block off to my engine guys for final honing.
I’d planned on using Total Seal. Moly Top, Napier second.
Reduced tension oil ring.
Then I ran across a FB video about Total Seal “new” rings that have some kind of radial slots so the ring will confirm better to out of round/tapered bores. They claim some power is there. Anyone using these?

[ProPower engines]

Are you referring to their rings that have slight grooves in the ring making them effectively act like
lateral gas porting the ring groove in the piston?
If this is what you are referring to they are intended for class racers that are not allowed to gas port pistons.

But yes they do work well as it allows a similar affect to be used on non gas ported pistons.
They are more money then a good ring set without the radial grooves but every little bit helps win the HP race

I know they are available for 5/32" ring paks like a stock sm blk would use but never inquired about any thinner ring sets.

[econo racer]

Won't those rings be easy to break during install?

[BillK]

Are you referring to their rings that have slight grooves in the ring making them effectively act like
lateral gas porting the ring groove in the piston?

I think this is what he is referring to:

http://www.totalseal.com/total_conform_rings.html

[Lizardracing]

That's what I'm after.
Wondering if I should bother with it on a stock block circle track deal where reliable is more important to me than power. I'm a believer of engines make no power if they are broke.

[ProPower engines]

Won't those rings be easy to break during install?

Just to be clear you should use a proper ring installer. Spiralling rings onto a piston will cause them to twist unfavorably
as well as fracture the moly inlay on the top ring causing it to flake off or out of the groove its in.

But to answer questions you can break any ring if installed incorrectly or mistreated during its installation but
for the extra cost they are worth it for class's that don't allow gas ports but guys want the upgrade without having
to buy new pistons.

[MadBill]

The rings in question are not the thin spacers with grooves on the upper face that are used together with a thin ring in a standard groove to mimic lateral gas ports. Per the link above they are notched on the ID, presumably to improve conformability.

[ProPower engines]

Yes they are more flexible but I think the OP was asking about those that have a machined groove on the
radial face to improve sealing.

[Lizardracing]

The rings in question are not the thin spacers with grooves on the upper face that are used together with a thin ring in a standard groove to mimic lateral gas ports. Per the link above they are notched on the ID, presumably to improve conformability.

This is correct. They area advertised as having slot or notches or whatever in the inner diameter to make the top ring more flexible to conform to tapered or out of round bores such as the GM 400 block when finished out without a plate.

See here
https://www.enginelabs.com/engine-tech/ ... orm-rings/

[engineguyBill]

Yes the rings in question are designed to have some flexibility in order to conform with tapered cylinder walls. This is only a band-aid fix though.

Modern rings are lapped at the factory and will seal very efficiently when used with straight and round cylinders. For high performance usage, the cylinders should be honed with a torque plate attached to the block with used gasket of the same type to be used in the engine and bolts/studs the same length as will be used with the heads of choice. Correct crosshatch pattern and depth, with plateau hone, motor oil to lubricate the cylinders and the rings will need very little break-in time once the engine is started.

[Lizardracing]

Imma stick to the proven stuff for now. Total Seal Classic with the Napier second.

[englertracing]

I think the other idea with these is they have reduced tension like a back cut but have the stability of a deeper ring.

[Elroy]

I am sure those are not cheap

[MadBill]

Efforts are often made to minimize the groove volume behind the ring, to promote rapid force transfer. Such notches would increase the volume.