Originally Posted by Mike Miljanovic (Post 525098)

Trying to get back in Stock after a 15 year lay-off (shifter-kart/stock car racing with my son), so I am a little out of date. I used to use discarded standard bore oil spacers with .030 over rails, giving 8-9 lbs vertical pull(wet), with no smoke. On LS6's, using deck plates did not make a difference on the pull. Is that still acceptable today?
Also, has anyone tried installing empty heads & hand-honing from the bottom with the block upside down? I experimented with that once long ago & ended up smashing my hone (gave up!).
What is the current upper ring combo today, or is that a big secret? Last time, I used a Dykes upper ring with a back-cut 2nd backed up with a spacer.
Thanks for any help.

Originally Posted by older racer (Post 525103)

I find you have to use a napier second ring with lower tension oil rings. you can run 6 # oils with napier and engine will run dry. without vac pan setup. breathers only. been using this in small block mopars last number of years. wall finish can impact results also.

Originally Posted by Larry Hill (Post 525055)

What is the correct procedure to check drag from the ring package? Cylinder vertical or horizontal, dry cylinder wall or lubrication on the wall, if lubricated with what and how much, just piston with pin and oil ring or is the rod on it too. Is it the breakaway number or the dynamic pull reading?

Originally Posted by high winder (Post 525061)

How do you remove the tension on your oil ring ?

Originally Posted by carl hinkson (Post 525087)

One thing that is over looked using a fish scale was the block plate honed or was the scale test done on cylinders that were not plate honed ??

If the block was not plate honed once the heads are installed not its a whole different ball game as you dealing distorted cylinders ( Not Round cylinders )

I plate hone all my blocks which is more important with OEM blocks as they are pretty frail.

Do a search on Torque plate honing.

I have seen circle track engines that were not plate honed and even after 2 or 3 years running still no ring seal and poor leak down numbers.

Ring can never break in when cylinders are not round.

Fish scale tests depends on cylinder finish.

Originally Posted by Jeff Stout (Post 525117)

Any knowledge of ET differences from all the different oil ring tensions. Also I just Had Carl Hinkson prep my new Dart Little M block and the fit and finish was spot on perfect. Thank you Carl

Originally Posted by randy wilson (Post 525123)

I use a torque plate to test ring tension.

Originally Posted by carl hinkson (Post 525127)

What are you using for a hone and what finish do you use ?

Originally Posted by randy wilson (Post 525164)

Beats me. Al Parker does the honing, and I just trust him for the ring package. Never been wrong so far. I still check the tension. We had one 0.060 over 283 that literally was air tank tight. Zero leak down on 8 cylinders. Zero, nada, zilch, nothing.