LOW TENSION BACK TO STD TENSION OIL RINGS

[Keith Morganstein]

All 3.0 MM rings are low tension



JOE SHERMAN RACING

Mahle offers a std tension expander for the 3MM oil ring? At least thats what the Mahle rep implied when I talked to him some months ago?

I get it. 3mm is low tension compared to thicker ring packages. However there are different tension oil expanders availible for 3mm oil rings

[joespanova]

.......but why make it any harder than it has to be by trying to get a few HP at the expense of "some" oil ...............which got me thinking , do I even NEED low tension oil rings........at this point my mind is made up. I'm increasing oil ring tension.

Respectfully, you're going in completely the wrong direction.

Can you be a little more "vague"? No cliff hangers please.

[bigpoppapreston]

I have some Total Seal Classic Race 11lbs 3mm oil rings in my G3 Hemi. I do not have napier second rings....should i use a vacuum pump? Someone said that the LS series engines use 3mm oil rings from the factory as did my hemi but i do not know what pounds.

[Krooser]

I expect the second ring is already a Napier design, but if not, switching to same would likely clean up any modest oiling issues with no increase of friction.

BTW, I can't find an Engine Masters oil ring test. The best I could come up with was a Hot Rod clip comparing 5/64"/5/64"/3/16" vs. 1.2 mm/1.2 mm/3.0 mm rings. (+ 8 HP for the latter at 6,000 RPM in a 3.48" stroke 377" SBC.)

Yeah you're correct.... not Engine Masters. Not 3 hp (the 8 looks like a three thru my Dollar Tree reading glasses)...

Carry on...(the poster now uses his walker to run into the wall before he calls for help finding the doorway to his darkened bedroom where he takes nap #3 for the day).

[mag2555]

To the Op, what are you running for Intake valve guide seals, Teflon?
Even if you are running Viton seals have you concidered restricted push Rods ?
If you have no indication of a oil film at the end of the collector I would be looking a bit more towards this as a contribution.

[engineguyBill]

Typical tension for 3.0mm oil ring assembly is in the 9# range. Ultra low tension MAHLE/Perfect Circle oil ring will be around 4#. Ultra Low tension oil ring should be only used in conjunction with a vacuum pump, for best results.

[engineguyBill]

Remember, the only Feature/Advantage/Benefit (FAB) to be realized from low tension oil ring assembly is a reduction in tangential tension between the rails and the cylinder wall. This reduction in tension (friction) will typically be observed only at high RPM (7000+). Low tension oil ring assembly does not provide any benefit in street driven applications - stay with standard tension oil ring assembly for street and bracket race applications in my opinion.

NOTE: It is not recommended to switch out the expander only when trying to modify oil ring tension. The rails are often times also changed when the ring manufacturer calculates and produces differing tensions.

[MadBill]

I expect the second ring is already a Napier design, but if not, switching to same would likely clean up any modest oiling issues with no increase of friction.

BTW, I can't find an Engine Masters oil ring test. The best I could come up with was a Hot Rod clip comparing 5/64"/5/64"/3/16" vs. 1.2 mm/1.2 mm/3.0 mm rings. (+ 8 HP for the latter at 6,000 RPM in a 3.48" stroke 377" SBC.)

Yeah you're correct.... not Engine Masters. Not 3 hp (the 8 looks like a three thru my Dollar Tree reading glasses)...

Carry on...(the poster now uses his walker to run into the wall before he calls for help finding the doorway to his darkened bedroom where he takes nap #3 for the day).

[JohnsnsFord2@aol.com]

Have any of you tried to cut or grind on the expander to get less ring tension?

[benno318]

regularly
doesnt take much to make a big difference so sneak up on it a bit at a time

[swampbuggy]

Joespanova...when you change to higher tension oil rings, what are your plans on cylinder wall prep if any ??? Mark H.

[Walter R. Malik]

As long as the rails are the same dimensions between the two sets, simply use an expander from a .020" larger bore.

If you are not an engine builder by trade to have these type things in stock, you would need to buy 2 sets of oil rings or call some place like Total Seal and they will put together a set of whatever you need.

[swampbuggy]

Walter... the reason i ask my QUESTION was to try and find out exactly what Joe was gonna do. If he ONLY changes the expander (tensioner) part then he will know if more pressure against the cylinder walls will solve the issue. If he makes more than (one) change, then who knows ??? Mark H.

[bigmike]

From wiseco

For those building a street or race engine who want to take advantage of the low-tension rings, the decision begins with talking to a knowledgeable tech rep who has an understanding of the lubrication issues involved with the specific application. Also, some newer engines will have fewer choices. “Because there are certain types engines with deep-skirted blocks. The modern engines doe a better job of controlling windage, which has a direct correlation to how much friction and tension the second ring and the oil ring needs,” says Stevenson. “If you were to go back to a traditional small- or big-block Chevy and try to run an .043 second and a low-tension 3 mm oil ring without giving the rings any help in terms of windage, you're probably not going to be able to control oil very well.”

That’s why oil pan accessories such as a crank scraper and windage tray are valuable to performance engines, and vacuum pump is especially helpful on a race engine. “It just depends on what you’re going to do with the engine,” sums up Stevenson. “Is it a street car? Is it a drag race only car? Is it a wet sump? Is it a dry sump? So, it really needs to be a consultative process to match up how small the second ring you can go with, and how low the tension in the oil ring you can go with in order to still maintain oil control.”

http://blog.wiseco.com/standard-ring-tension-is-a-myth

[swampbuggy]

Excellent reading, thanks Bigmike for posting that link. Mark H.