HELP!! Piston Ring Rebuild Question
 

Currently rebuilding my the engine in my 951. Purchased an "engine rebuild kit" from Vertex Auto. Went to check the ring gaps on the new pistons last night and noticed that the oil ring is VERY different from the ring I removed from the piston. After checking the PET, I noticed that the 951 has different rings than the 944. New ring packaging is marked "924S/944" with no mention of turbo. Before I call Vertex and go insane on them, I want to check with fellow 'listers.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c7...d/IMG_4141.jpg

This image shows my old oil ring on the bottom (2 piece) and the new Vertex ring on the top (3 piece)

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c7...d/IMG_4142.jpg

An up-close shot of the old rings, they look much more robust than the replacements.

Any help would be much appreciated!! I'd like to get this sorted out with Vertex today so that I can button up the bottom end next week.

I went through this a couple of months ago with Lindsey rings. The "new" oil ring looked the same as yours, which is different than stock. According to Lindsey the two piece oil scaper is better because you can space out the gaps. I think it makes sense.

Thanks, that makes me feel better. After the amount of effort that I've put into this rebuild, the LAST thing I want to do is tear it down again because of incorrect parts.

I went through this about a year ago. The 951 ring set has superceded the NA ring set for all 944's.

Ring Question

Kuhl, you are a life saver. My rings had Goetze part # 08-320400-10, for the 944/924S. After going through your old post, they were certainly not applicable to my application. Vertex is sending the proper rings out today, should have them by early next week. Thank God.

Glad it worked out. Considering Goetze quit making the NA rings several years ago (1997) I do believe you have happened upon some pretty old shelf stock. I'm sure it was an honest mistake.

Can David Lindsey or Chris White advise anyone on if the 08320400-10 ring set can be used in a turbo engine. It seems alot of vendors are pawning this set on to unsuspecting people. I too was given this ring set for a 951 rebuild from a major vendor. I would suspect that this ringset can be used since it appears that the oil ring is the only difference, just a different design.

But are you willing to base your engine's reliability on a ring that "should work"? I'm not.

Never tried it - and I have not looked at a set of NA rings in a very long time - so I can’t help you out here!!

The difference in oil ring s would not bother me. If the rest of the ring pack was truly the same then there is not a problem – but is real hard to tell if the top rings are really the same alloy.

I'm still trying to figure out why some vendors are still selling 2 different ring sets for the NA and Turbo when Goetze and Deves are the only OE companies making them and they only make one set for both cars? Did some companies stock up on enough rings inventory to last 12 years? This is still very confusing to me but I still believe Wayne at Pelican has it right based on Goetze application sheets.

Pelican NA or Turbo

Paragon NA
Paragon Turbo
EBS NA
EBS Turbo

Well I will be looking for a free wide fire HG, exh. manifold gaskets, intake manifold gaskets, and cam housing seal from whichever vendor gave me the wrong rings. Even then I am going to be a little bent about the entire thing.... I will not mention the vendor unless they don't play fair..... urghhhhh

My receipt shows number 951 103 901 02 and 08-323300-00

Which are the proper part numbers. I was shipped 08-320400-10.

08-320400-10 is not the right number

I know. See pics/post above.