Supertech ring gaps (paranoia sets in)
 

I got my block and pistons back from the machine shop and he told me he went with .017 on the top ring and .021 on the 2nd ring.

What are you supertech guys running? This is for a car that will see track/autox/ and some street driving so I didn't want to go super loose on the ring gaps, I reversed the calculation and found that he went with something in the middle of "moderate turbo" and "oval track" for the ring gaps. Basically I'm being paranoid about blowby, ring gaps that are too big, or other bullshit.

Anyone?

When I did my rebuild I gapped my own rings. 1st compression ring was done based upon the chart provided by Supertech for the application. Think mine was moderate track use or something like. 2nd compression rings were all perfect right out of the box for that same application. ( Don't know what street guys use because you couldn't make that gap smaller...)

Oil ring was gapped correctly out of the box for me too.

No issues with this procedure since getting the car going again in break-in, dyno tuning, street driving, track driving, etc. No smoke, no consumption of oil. I'm happy.

I would follow the Supertech sheet as close as you can.

It's already done. Run it. Doesn't sound that bad based on the description.

well im sure the shop that put in the pistons did it right besides its there shop name on the line id say run it and stop being paranoid JMO

^that's dumb. I've seen many shops stand by a steaming pile of shit and say it was done perfectly.

Well then that's not a reputable shop cause shops I go too have pride in there work and want cars running good so it brings business and I'm not saying I'm right I am just giving my opinion. So if your willing to leave your car at a shop and not think there going to do the right thing you shouldn't leave it there in the first place

This. I don't trust anyone.

My top ring was .021 and second ring was .025 - but that's an all-out race appplication.

If you have no issues with blowby after x amount of miles, I'll sleep better at night. Yes/no?

All this shit I'm doing to this car over the next couple months I feel like hustler with these worries and anxiety.

Well how did your car turned out, did your ring gap worked out ok for you? I'm ready to gap my set of supertech 8.6cr 99 motor this weekend.

I wont lie, I didn't plastigauge anything and just put my engine together with no second thoughts. Hooray for blind luck! :D

This is why I shilled out an extra 600 bucks for a local very reputable nationally known shop to assemble my engine. Hope it goes good for you in the long run!


How did you break in the rings though?

Mine are gapped at .015 and .018 on my Wisecos, "boosted race/street" application as far as their data sheet said, I wouldnt worry too much if you havnt gotten the car running yet

Thanks, I gapped mine to the same gap as yours, have not had much time to work on it latley but got as far as installing roods and pistons and getting the oil pump ready with the billet gears.https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1363398783https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1363398783