AuldScott, thanks for the compression info on OddJob’s site.
Does anyone have information on my engine
(1956 2 hp air cooled West Bend) (may be the
same as the Elgin 2 hp of that era) that mentions the
proper orientation of the piston rings?
When I took the rings off I looked to see if
they were marked for "top", or had any steps
inside like some rings. They did not, so I figured
they could be installed either way. Now, after I
cleaned them up, I see there’s a slight taper on
the inside of the rings, and I have no idea which
way to re-install them.
I was reading something somewhere yesterday mentioning
that the piston ring tension isn’t all that important, but
rather it’s the compression that gets behind the rings
that forces the rings against the cylinder walls, sealing
the rings. Perhaps the taper on the inside of my rings
is to aid in the compression getting behind the rings?
The piston ring grooves are cut square and had more carbon
in them than I first thought, so that could have been a
partial issue with compression??
Thanks for any thoughts on the proper ring orientation!
