Mystery solved!

[Morris]

Zoinks!

THAT'S why my MAP was bouncing so much.

Anyone have any opinions about Grant rings? Apparently cheap Italian made rings are crap.

 

[mightymidget]

I guess you will be shopping for rings this Christmas

 

[tomshobby]

Did they score the cylinders? Can the pistons be saved or are the lands ruined?

 

[dklawson]

OUCH! No financial interest from me, but Mini Mania is a sponsor here and they own/promote/sell Deves rings. You'll often see their sales icon at the top of pages on this web site.

 

[ChrisS]

Well that's not good. I thought you said you were going to work on my car not yours. I don't have any experience with Grant. I'd say Deves or AE.

 

[Guest]

FWIW, Grant has been around FOREVER. I have them in my car and I'm happy.

Any chance that happened from hydralic lock while tunning a mega squirt that squirted a mega ammount of fuel?

 

[Morris]

The pistons and bores look fine so I lucked out there.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]I thought you said you were going to work on my car not yours. I don't have any experience with Grant. I'd say Deves or AE.[/QUOTE]

I got impatient waiting for you to call. Also, I had let my inspection and registration lapse so that I could take the car off the road for maintenance and paint. The only way to keep myself from breaking the law was to take the thing apart.

BTW, ChrisS, do you have a glaze breaker and an engine hoist I could borrow?

As to rings, I can get Grant rings for $34, AE rings for $43 and Deves rings for $90!?!?! What are they made out of platinum?

 

[Guest]

I've seen Deves cheaper somewhere but can't remeber. I want to say they were $10 more than Grants.

How'd you get it out if you don't have a hoist?

 

[Guest]

Deves .020 over for $25.

https://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Triumph-Spitfire-MG-Midget-New-Piston-Rings-1264-020-/280568440819

 

[ChrisS]

I have a glaze breaker but my hoist didn't make the trip south, I donated it to the local british car club. Let me know when you'll be around and I'll stop by with it.

 

[Morris]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]Deves .020 over for $25.[/QUOTE]


That's a great deal... but my pistons are .030 Doh!

 

[Spridget64SC]

FWIW, There are not too many OEM ring makers left. Quite a few of the old names have been acquired by the "Mega/Global" companies and with consolidation and such, a lot of the old names have disappeared. Sometimes they are used for a particular style of application and not as a general "Branding" of appliations. It is getting harder to find ring packages for our "small" bored engines.

My last set of Deves was a repackaged mix of Hastings 4 piece oil and AE/Federal Mogul compression. If one knows what markings to look for, the OEM can usually be deduced.

Double check the clearance in the ring land. New spec is usually in the 0.0015" to 0.002 range. Worn out is 0.004". Bigger numbers for larger bores. Small numbers for smaller bores. Detonation is a big culprit in the wearing out of the top ring land. More common than most people think, expecially in race engines.

Aren't STD TR6 pistons about +.040 MG1500 size? Maybe that would be workable? I've got some odd ball TR/MG 1500 engine bits and pieces. I'll look tonight and see if I have anything usuable.

Not doing too much 1500 work right now, so would be willing to get rid of what I might have.

Mike

 

[Morris]

Thanks Mike!

 

[Spridget64SC]

Rummaged through the boxes on the shelves at the shop last night. 2 sets of STD bore rings for the 1500, but nothing bigger. A set of rods (+10), a set of mains (std) and a bunch of silver head gaskets (1300?) and loose engine gaskets for the 1296/1500/TR-6. Sorry. Did find a good bit of stuff for TR-4's, MGA's and MGB's, but not much for the 4-cylinder Triumph engines. Found an old TRW "RAMCO" box of rings for a TR-3/4. That's an old "Big-name" company for sure. Don't know if TRW brands anything automotive anymore or not.

[Took a look and TRW appears to be a part of the Global automotive giant Federal Mogul. Looks like anything left of TRW is marketed under the "SpeedPro" brand. An interesting search.]

Good Luck!
Mike

PS: I've used Grant rings in some 1098 & 1275 rebuilds in the past. Compression rings were good. Their 1-piece oil control wasn't too good. AE's 1-piece oil control seems to be much better. Use it in my 1275 limited prep race engines with good results. [Grant has a web site and catalog. Can't tell if they manufacture, re-package or a combination of both. I would definitely check your piston ring lands for what size ring they require.]

 

[Guest]

My Grants had three piece oil control. I bought them almost a year ago.

I might need another set of STD rings if I can find a set of used flat tops.