engine rings

[Charles M.]

I have a 65 fuelie which has almost no miles since rebuild by previous owner 25+ years ago. I'm re-restoring the car and have engine on stand and plan to replace seals, gaskets, and maybe bearings as 1 main looks to have some wear down to copper, possibly from long storage between starts? My question is will piston rings still be good after so long or should I send block out to be honed and replace rings
Chuck M.

[Clem Z.]

Re: engine rings

I have a 65 fuelie which has almost no miles since rebuild by previous owner 25+ years ago. I'm re-restoring the car and have engine on stand and plan to replace seals, gaskets, and maybe bearings as 1 main looks to have some wear down to copper, possibly from long storage between starts? My question is will piston rings still be good after so long or should I send block out to be honed and replace rings
Chuck M.

look at the cylinder walls from the bottom with the pan off and if you see "rust" rings on the cylinder wall from the piston rings i would scotch brite the cylinder walls and put in new rings

[Jim L.]

Re: engine rings

plan to replace seals, gaskets, and maybe bearings as 1 main looks to have some wear down to copper, possibly from long storage between starts?

If that were my engine, I would not reassemble it until I knew for sure why that one bearing has worn so much in so short a time. I'd start by having the crank checked and I'd look at the straightness of the main bearing bores in the block. My hunch is that something more serious than just long storage intervals is wrong.

Jim

[Charles M.]

Re: engine rings

Thanks for the replies Clem & Jim, I like the scotchbrite idea. Jim is probably right about more serious problems with bearing. was hoping no machine shop work needed, hate to let orig block out of my sight.
Chuck M.

[Jim L.]

Re: engine rings

Thanks for the replies Clem & Jim, I like the scotchbrite idea. Jim is probably right about more serious problems with bearing. was hoping no machine shop work needed, hate to let orig block out of my sight.
Chuck M.

Chuck, I may be more sensitive about thoroughly understanding the problem than others. 25 years ago, I had a freshly restored engine that wore out a set of bearings in less than 1700 miles. The root cause was poor workmanship when the crank was turned. Of course I didn't know that when I was returning from a show and at 20 miles from home one bearing went away and the engine developed a terminal knock.

Good luck,

Jim