jakeflyer

Was at the Deves factory today. What a great bunch of folks. Not only a better set of rings but MADE IN THE USA. Oh, did I mention these rings are made in the USA, NOT imported, jobs here. No increasing Euro to declining dollar price inflation.

theiceman

for the uneducated what are Deves rings ? .. and why is Made in USA rings good for a Porsche ? would you not want German OEM at least, or OE prefereably ?

PS no slight intended , just wondering ..

SpartanToJo

Google is our friend:

http://www.deves.com/

What Makes DEVES Piston Rings So SPECIAL?
The Material -
Finest Swedish steel, from the masters in advanced metallurgy, in a special composition alloy, designed for high heat transfer, high flexibility and low wear rates. These are characteristics yielding performance unmatched by any other line of piston rings - American or Foreign.

The Design -
DEVES rings and ring sets are based on detailed engineering drawings as well as actual engines. They are manufactured for almost all current American and Foreign engines, with some model coverage as far back as 1928! All DEVES rings are checked for fit by a specially-designed light-beam microscope (if light doesn't get through, neither will oil), and they meet or exceed SAE, DIN or BNA standards.

The Features -
All DEVES rings, compression, scraper, or oil control, are made in the necessary lengths and widths, and in various thickness' to ensure the proper tension against the cylinder walls.
Expander rings are slotted to prevent any possibility of clogging.
Oil rings consist of two laminated rings, which sit at the top and bottom of the groove, separated by a spacer, and also contact an expander ring.
Scraper rings, when called for, use an expander ring under the scraper to provide proper tension.

Daniel Dudley

I have used those in cast iron blocks, and they are great in that application.

Not so sure about the compatability with alloy cylinders.

Jay Laifman

Just a HUGE WARNING! I had Deves rings put on my NEW P&Cs on my car. The car puffed lots of smoke on start up and beyond start up. I learned that it is generally known that Deves oil rings do have this problem on 911s. I had to have my engine torn open to replace the rings with the German supplier version (I don't have the name here). The problem went away.

And no, it wasn't because they had to be broken in. I had driven it for many 1,000s of miles and it never stopped. And no, it wasn't just the standard "puff" that 911s have on start up. It was wrong and more than one person told me it was the Deves rings.

john walkers workshop

deves suck in 911s, unless you like the smoke.

theiceman

I guess the germans are thinking " foreign import job "

Peter Zimmermann

john w: My experience exactly!

Daniel Dudley

I think one of the reasons they work so well in cast iron is the way they work into the honed cylinder.

Last engine I did smoked like a MF at startup, and I took it out and worked the pesto out of it and changed the oil. They are hard rings, and needed to be broken in hard. I can easily believe what I am reading. That was a 2 litre Fiat engine that I redlined at 7K for over 30 thousand miles before I sold it to the new owner 5 years ago. Never used a drop of oil. Man, I miss that car, but it reminded me of an old flame, so I sold it and bought a Porsche. Or two.

Kind of hard to go back, if you know what I mean.

Jay Laifman

The design itself is also different. I don't know why they felt they had to build them differently than the design that came from the factory to match the rest.

So now, jakeflyer, why were you there and were you planning of using them in your 911?

Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems

I tried Deves rings in 911's three times over the past 33 years. Once with cast iron, once with Biral, and once with Nikasils. All cylinders were in excellent condition.

In each case, the engine smoked like it was a mosquito-killing machine. Leakdowns were average or worse, even after extensive dyno time.

Goetze and sometimes Total Seals (2nd groove only) for me.

Daniel Dudley

I get that Steve. Fiats are like four cylinder chain saws compared to 911s, and I was not suggesting that anyone use Deves rings on a 911. Fiat guys like them, and I expect that whatever makes them good in a vertical cylinder is probably what makes them bad in a horizontal cylinder.

BTW, thanks for the clear guidance.

jakeflyer

To: Steve Weiner
Rennsport Systems

I talked to you on the phone today about 911s case machine work, transmission work and and Ed M. in Dallas. We did not discuss rings. Thanks for the reply. I am not going to use these rings. You and the others probably saved me a bizillion hours of labor and foaming at the mouth. U turn, avoided disaster.

Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems

Mission Accomplished!!!

Great talking with you, too.

Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems

Hi Dan:

I suspect that the Fiat's cylinder wall finish and material is a better match with the metallurgy and surface finish of the Deves rings but thats simply a WAG on my part. I've never worked on a Fiat.

My pleasure, anytime!