Oil ring end gaps?
 

I'm putting my short block together. And I put an oil ring rail in the block just to see how much end gap there was. I was shocked to find it butted. Took and old ring that just came out of the motor and it was the same.
Years ago we ran the speed pro SS oil rings and never had to gap them.
I'm now (have been for years) running rings from JE with a different oil ring. I looked at the paper that came with the rings and it says at least .015 gap.
I gapped them. Did I do the right thing?

Re: Oil ring end gaps?
 

Art, sorry I missed your call.
I called back, but it went to voice mail.
I was "Out" on the couch. Just recouping from the week...
Yes, you did the right thing.
.015 is a lot for your small bore size
If you want to put a piston in the hole with only the oil ring and pull it with a "Fish scale" to check the drag. I have even ground on the expander to change the drag.
In days gone by we used Std expanders with .030 rails in 30 over blocks to get low drag oil rings.