Problems inserting Hastings oil control rings

I seem to remember from my days cranking spanners that when the two scraper rings & the centre spacer ring are fitted into the groove, the spacer should be below the outer face ( the edge that contacts the bore). other wise all three sections are wiping constantly against the bore.
When i install mine that is exactly what is happening,
With just the oil ring (three pieces) installed into the ring grove you can barely push the piston down & that ain't right
So i took all the rings out and put the piston in the bore, its lightly oil & with a little prod it gently drops to the bottom
I then just installed only the spacer ring, and you have to push the piston down & what's more as you do it you can here the spacer scrapping against the bore.

Reading above the consensus is that the spacer mustn't be "modified" but there's no way it can be left as is
So do i modify the spacer , or use a different style of ring IE a single piece oil control

I will attempt to trim the spacer as that's all it is and see what results i get, one things for sure even if i manage to get the oils rings in (before any trimming) the excessive pressure against the bore i feel will cause rapid wear in the long term, but in the short term as its been bored it will seize.

B+Bogus said:

Yes, I had to trim the expander on one set and I had folks calling me all sorts of names! The bike was great afterwards.
Goetze/AE rings for me...

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Yes I shorten the expander if I have to with no problems whatsoever
The way I look at it the people that call the names may or may not have come up against this problem
One thing for sure is they are not there with you in your garage when you make the decision on what you have in front of you
I once had the other scenario when an expander on one of my pistons (powermax pistons) had a tag missing off the end and the bike smoked like a two stroke

I use Hastings rings exclusively. I've never had to do anything with the oil rings, and generally nothing with the compression rings either. I just installed a set in a standard bore 74 850 and all gaps were right on.

If you have to modify an oil ring set, it is the wrong size for the piston!

That oil ring expander should not overlap itself.

I'm sending a video to hasting of the bore, piston & ring dimension & box they came in..... apart from the spacer all else is correct

marinatlas said:

Hi, where did you found your Goetze rings , all the suppliers I had checked sell USA made rings (Hasting or ??)...it was a pain to fit that oil ring !

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The latest Wassells 'Hepolite' rings are Goetze/AE. if you can't source them locally PM me

B+Bogus said:

The latest Wassells 'Hepolite' rings are Goetze/AE. if you can't source them locally PM me

Click to expand...

PM sent...

The fitting of the spacers has been checked & triple checked, they are still scrapping against the bore All the other rings including the two oil scrappers gap absolutely perfectly
The only way other than replacing them would be to trim them.... and to be honest not sure i want to be doing this

Does anyone know why the ends of the expander MUST face downward?
Also, please post Hasting's reply, very interested.

olympus said:

The fitting of the spacers has been checked & triple checked, they are still scrapping against the bore All the other rings including the two oil scrappers gap absolutely perfectly
The only way other than replacing them would be to trim them.... and to be honest not sure i want to be doing this

Click to expand...

When I was having my fits with the Hastings rings, I fitted the expander rings into the bore (without pistons) and with ends butted. Then using a piston, I pushed the expander ring down the bore to get a "feel" for the force required. I found it easy. Have you tried this?

Next, check the depth of the ring land. I do not know the specification for this, but I am sure it can be found.

If easy up/down in the bore, and on-spec land width and depth, it should be right once you get the works in the bores.

Are you sure your ring pack is for the bore/over bore size of your cylinders? The ring gaps being perfect would indicate they are matched, and your problem does not lie here.

Slick

I also had the spacer problem. The spacer was one square too long. To get that ring in would have exerted at least double the pressure of compression rings and there is no need for that pressure. I trimmed the spacer and there was still adequate pressure. Have ridden this bike several thousand miles with no problems.

texasSlick said:

When I was having my fits with the Hastings rings, I fitted the expander rings into the bore (without pistons) and with ends butted. Then using a piston, I pushed the expander ring down the bore to get a "feel" for the force required. I found it easy. Have you tried this?

Next, check the depth of the ring land. I do not know the specification for this, but I am sure it can be found.

If easy up/down in the bore, and on-spec land width and depth, it should be right once you get the works in the bores.

Are you sure your ring pack is for the bore/over bore size of your cylinders? The ring gaps being perfect would indicate they are matched, and your problem does not lie here.

Slick

Click to expand...

With two compression rings & the two oil rings in the bores, the installed gaps are absolutely spot on....so yes the rings are correct
In saying that i cant say this is so for the spacers, with them fitted in the bores they but up tightly....