.031 dykes
 

Need contact or company to buy extra set of .031 dykes for 3.94 bore on 283 sbc. Did not find any info on Total Seal site. Already have one set (been laying on shelf for years) in motor.....just want extra set since they are not as available as years ago. Need low tension ring, not the "look a like" (standard tension compression ring cut to look like a dyke). Working on restoring old super stock motor for local st/ss combo's. thanks

Ed

Re: .031 dykes
 

Speed Pro still sells some of those. For the bore size you have, the P/N is PB-18PF-002 -65. If they have them.

Outside of that, call Keith Jones, or Kevin Studeker at Total Seal, tell them I sent you. Total Seal no longer suggests those rings, but they may be able to make or source them.

The last set I bought had to be 7-8 years ago, in 4.320" bore size. They worked for me, despite what everyone said, that engine ran. But I don't use them now.

Re: .031 dykes
 

Alan, thanks for info. I know the dykes are ancient but, for the moment a new set of pistons are not in the plan and I will have to use what I have for a while. Just wanting an extra set since they are getting so hard to find.

Ed

Re: .031 dykes
 

Ed,

Have you considered using spacers with thin rings like most of us in stock use?

Total seal probably has them in stock. I know its a Chevy size ring they sell me for my Pontiac 350's that I file to fit and its almost the same bore as your motor.

Re: .031 dykes
 

.031" Dykes top rings were what almost everyone used in SS engines back in the '70's and '80's

The pistons have ring grooves cut for those rings and unless the grooves are cut to fit something else.....he would have to use the Dykes ring...

I used them on flat top 350 engines with the ring .050" down......and no second ring on one set of pistons....back in the early 1980's....

Re: .031 dykes
 

Glad to help Ed. Speed Pro seems to be killing off a lot of those older numbers.

Re: .031 dykes
 

Bill, yea RIch is correct. My pistons are early-mid 80's vintage with no 2nd ring. It would not be viable for me to spend money for machining on these ancient puppies. Wish it was that simple!

Ed

Re: .031 dykes
 

I have never used dykes guess I'm much younger than some of you LOL.

But correct me if I'm wrong; I thought dykes were quite expensive?
Would rings+ spacers+ machining cost more than a set of dykes?

Re: .031 dykes
 

Far more. And more than his pistons are worth, as he said. The only place I'd trust to do the machine work is Rebco, and I'm pretty sure it would be very expensive. Ring groove tolerances are held far closer than 99.9999999% of shops can measure, below 0.0000".

Dykes rings are not that expensive, they're just relatively outdated.

Re: .031 dykes
 

Alan,
Don't call the ring that most A/fuel teams use "Out Dated"
Why didn't you just say they aren't used by most S/SS engine builders?

Re: .031 dykes
 

Thanks everyone. At least I have some possibilities to check out.

Ed

Re: .031 dykes
 

Dykes rings maybe outdated,but I still like them.
Mike Taylor 3601

Re: .031 dykes
 

We cut our own grooves on a lot of pistons and really had no way to get a super tight ring groove to ring tolerance.......We had what we had.....and ran them that way.....

Re: .031 dykes
 

I know some fast cars that still have dykes rings.

Re: .031 dykes
 

Call Don Lent at MAHLE (the former Sealed Power). If he can't find what your looking for I know he can find a ring set that you will like.

Work: 231-724-1897

Bill Lent (Yes, his son!)
O/SA 3158

Re: .031 dykes
 

Relatively outdated. For the task in question.


No one mentioned anything about an A/Fuel dragster.

Re: .031 dykes
 

Thanks Bill, May give him a call....

Ed

Re: .031 dykes
 

Try Gregg Luneak at Tri City Competition

Re: .031 dykes
 

Just got two sets from perfect circle through Liberty engine parts. Still in their race rings catalog.

Re: .031 dykes
 

Ed Jr.,

Don't worry about the .031 Dykes ring being a a worthy piece for your 283. Ours Olds would still run in the 10's at 120 mph (on kill) in SS/NA after 275 runs on the Dykes rings.

Oh! They were a special set made by Gregg Luneak and were 5/64 " rings rather than the common 1/16 " rings because nobody makes a 3.865 Moly 1/16" ring anymore. All that was available at the time were the 5/64" rings. They weren't supposed to work, but obviously they do.

Jerry

Re: .031 dykes
 

So,to say i have a set of pistons cut for .031 dykes ,tight fit 4.30 bore,do they make this type of ring any more or am i s.o.l..this was the way to go back then,

Re: .031 dykes
 

Speed Pro has the Dykes rings in their current catalog.

Be aware that the guys at Speed Pro are telling me that some of the tooling is very old, and if it is not being used to make "A movers", it may not be replaced.

For example, much of the tooling used to make my beloved SS-50U oil rings is old, and probably will not be replaced. I like the SS-50U because it uses a standard width and thickness rail, and the tension is set by the expander, making it a ring that is very easy to install, is very consistent, and very easy to adjust the tension. I do not like the "Hastings" or "Perfect Circle" gold style oil ring, they set the tension with the rails. I do not find them as consistent, and with the ultra low tension sets, they are much harder to install, and more likely to screw up and cause a problem for a customer who does not build a lot of engines. Those oil rings are the only ones I see popping out of expanders, getting folded, and screwing up the ring, the bore, and the piston. Never had a customer do that with a Speed Pro.

Total Seal will make about anything you will pay for.

Re: .031 dykes
 

Posting from home ,Have some old inventory at the shop will check tomorrow .Bill C.

Re: .031 dykes
 

thanks Bill.

Ed

Re: .031 dykes
 

Jerry, thanks....I'm not too worried about the dykes....they have proved themselves to make decent power. It's just harder to find stuff for them in a world where companies market to sell their latest and greatest.

Do you have a contact # for Gregg?

Ed

Re: .031 dykes
 

Gregg 760-630-9094

Re: .031 dykes
 

Ed ,do not have .031 in 3.935 size But for some one we have.031Speed Pro #R9941.025,4.025 and R10177.035.4.285 .Also have R9785 .035 and .065, 3.905 and 3.935.043 1/16 3/16.Bill C.

Re: .031 dykes
 

Just have Rebco cut them to 0.043, and match depth. It ain't that expensive.

Re: .031 dykes
 

When in dire straits, have had a 1\16th milled down to exact depth.

Re: .031 dykes
 

Called Gregg and he can provide the 3.940 dykes. It's good to know where I can get another set when needed. thanks to everyone for adding to the post....it's what makes this site so valuable for classracers.

Ed