Howdy everyone,
I'm going to be rebuilding my 5.9 engine pretty soon and have Total Seal gapless piston rings that was going to install. It is the top ring only and I was curious if any others had tried them before? And if you had if you had any pointers that you could share to help me with this. I also have Keith Black hypereutectic pistons which I know require different install parameters.

Thanks now

 

I thought you had picked up a 408 from another member, and were going thru that?? I know it's been a while......

Not that displacement matters in this particular instance. The idea behind the gapless rings is to reduce blowby/increase static compression. Properly installed, the gapless rings will do exactly that. (once properly broken in.) Long ago, but not so very far away, we installed the gapless top rings in a 440, going into a 71 Challenger.... it actually bumped compression numbers about 10 points, with just that change. I do not have before/after dyno results though.... we never had the chance to get the car on one. (but, that's another story......)

If you have them, install them.

 

Just that, someone installed these and shortly after the rebuild the top part of the piston cracked off(first ring). So read the install procedure and follow it to the letter. Also heard somewhere that the gapless rings can break(at the section where they meet). You may find more info on that if you scourer google. I'm on the fence using them. ???

 

I looked at them when I rebuilt my 360, but couldn't justify the cost compared to regular rings. I think they have a video on how to install them

 

I can't justify the cost vs regular ones. $450 for a set vs $32

 

Yes the block I have is the 408 I got from another member. I was pulling pistons to clean them up and dropped one and broke the skirt off. This was about the time that I was going thru my divorce and was low on funds. Then my leg got so bad I couldn't stand to work on the engine.
It was a good thing that I took the block in to be checked. When the block was bored the last time the shop that did it hadn't used torque plates so the bores were out of round. So they got them bored correctly now. Also the crank was out of balance so it was fixed. There were a few other little things done wrong but it's all good now.

While I was laid up I got depressed so I was buying parts all the time to try and feel better. So I got the Gapless rings to go into the engine. I'm hoping once I get the engine built and the Jeep running I can find a shop that can dyno the Jeep as I would like to see what kind of power that 408 is making.

I will watch all the videos I can find before I start to assemble the engine. I know you have to make sure the tolerances are SPOT on and the KB pistons also take some different tolerances than a normal piston. I have a ring grinder to set them up with. It's going to be a slow process once I start in on the engine I am sure. I've never used the Gapless rings before either so I thought I would give them a try. Worst thing is that I would have to rering the engine I HOPE.

I don't remember them being that expensive but yes they cost more than standard rings.

 

Ah the fun building an engine. I was doing mine and now can't get the pistons to not lock up the crank. I got so mad I bought another truck

 

You said in my engine build thread that you had some questions you wanted to ask? Ask away and I'll try to answer them.

 

My question was I'm using the factory October and push rods. I ignored my markings and just put them anywhere. Now they lock up the crank because the connecting rod is binding. Have any idea how to tell where they go?

 

Your October and push rods?????? I think you need a phone with a bigger screen/keyboard.