How does this happen to a piston ring?

[cwdaniel]

#1 & #4 top ring worn so much that the end gap is over the top wide.

It's in a sand car, but has never had air filter issues.

[slalombuggy]

If the gap wasn't that big when they were put together you have a filter issue. It might not plug a carb but the rings are taking a beating. Measure your piston to cylinder clearance before you put it together.

brad
_________________
BB Buggy 121.253mph @ Bonneville 2012
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57hMyJmIU10
Raisin cookies that look like chocolate chip cookies are the main reason I have trust issues

[SRP1]

That engine ate more silt than a lake bottom.
That is a serious filter issue.
The intake valve guides will be torn up too.
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Bugless.......

[cwdaniel]

Yeah it sure seems like it's been sucking from the vac cleaner bag, but I would have seen it all over the carb tops I would think.

I think the groove is shot too, though I don't have any spec to measure to. It's time for new all around I think.

Total seal 2nd ring too. I've heard tales of top ring flutter or something like that.

Fluttered to death?

[modok]

How much of the cylinder still has some faint hone marks visible?

[SRP1]

How do the rings in cyls 2 & 3 look?
Was it built this way?
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Bugless.......

[cwdaniel]

2 & 3 look fine. I assembled and gapped all the rings myself. All of the gap orientations were still fine.

2, 3, & 4 still have hone marks. #1 (pictured) does not

[modok]

ah, I see

Wear like that is always lack of lube or fine dust

Lack of lube can be a tricky thing, if the second ring is TOO good as scraping the oil off, or if your engine stays cold, or if running fuel that washes away the oil, there can be a lube problem where the top ring just goes to heck

Since running those crappy gapless rings and gasoline ect, It's looking more like a dust problem. What area are you driving it?

[SRP1]

I would investigate further, look at the untake guides, if they are torn up (#4
particularly) then this is a filtration issue for sure.

Regarding the Total Seal rings; I have never made this mistake so I don't know what the effect would be, but I would imagine if you accidentally put an oil control rail (scraper ring) on the second gapless ring land, would it scrap the wall clean of lube? Like maybe 3 oil scrapers on the same piston. Just a thought.
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Bugless.......

[yamaducci]

[cwdaniel]

[SRP1]

Post a picture of the piston top.
Is it really clean?
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Bugless.......

[cwdaniel]

[cwdaniel]

The verdict after tearing the carbs down is my K&N filters are worthless.
Definitely sand in the system.

New jugs and pistons on order.
Debating whether or not to put the gapless rings in again.
Looking for better air filtration options

[SamT]

The k&n filters require carefully oiling, you would not believe how many guys bring me rails for a tune up and the filters are not oiled or they are over oiled, or the have holes from being cleaned with gasoline, ect.

[slalombuggy]

K&Ns are pretty much useless in dusty conditions. Even on my truck which never really sees any dirt roads I have dust on the intake runner to the TB. I work on a lot of oil field and contractor vehicles and we have started taking them out when we do tuneups, they just don't filter fine particles good enough.

As for options, going with some kind of prefilter like cloth bags or foam might help. but remote filters or intake up out of the dust would be oyur best bet.

brad
_________________
BB Buggy 121.253mph @ Bonneville 2012
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57hMyJmIU10
Raisin cookies that look like chocolate chip cookies are the main reason I have trust issues

[clearsurf2001]

Daniel ... several things. If your K&N filters are sandwiched between stamped tin/chrome tops and bottoms, find aluminum tops and bottoms. Stamped ones leak bad in the sand. Second ... get some filter wraps (Uni-Filter oiled foam) to cover the K&Ns ... and then the nylon prefilters to cover the Uni foam. Either grease or weatherstrip adhesive on the edges of the filters. Sand will find a way in if you don't pay attention.
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[cwdaniel]

I do pay attention. They get cleaned and oiled properly before every trip to the sand. The housing are rigid cast aluminum.

I took the K&N out of my 4x4 for the same reason. A 14 x 6 tall element with a foam pre filter still let dirt through. I thought it could be because of oil loss during long periods of non use. And being lax in checking.

The sand toy has had diligent attention to the filters with the same result.

[modok]

gauze filters are least effective right after you clean them, it is better to leave em the heck alone till they are really grungy

for your truck look at AEM's synthetic filter, it's a lot better than cotton, but they don't make them in vw size yet

[cwdaniel]