I put a set of Zero gap rings in my 72 454 when I rebuilt it. Has anybody else had any experience with these rings? I have about 200 miles on my motor and I am noticing I am blowing smoke when I get off of the motor an then get back on it. I figure its valve seals. I used the stock type umbrella type seals. I have heard that the Zero gap rings create about 10% more compresions and create higher vacume and this might be sucking some oil in through the valve guides. I was wondering if I should have had pc seals installed instead of the umbrella seals? The motor runs strong but I used a quart of oil in the first 200 miles. I know things may seat themselves when the motor breaks in a little more. Should I just wait and see? Any ideas?

If they are Childs&Albert I ended up taking mine out and going with Total Seals because of the same problem that you are having.

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Mike Hurta
(Aug98)
Gold#25
Clute, Texas
www.chevelles.com/feature/aug98.html (http://www.chevelles.com/feature/aug98.html)

Don, did you bore the cylinders? Hone? With or w/o a torque plate. Doesn't sound like guide seals to me unless guides are worn,did guides get replaced?

It will be intresting to hear input about these rings. I just helped a friend install a set of Total Seal gapless rings in his 406 SBC. The motor is broke-in and runs really well. At the track we noticed the engine pushing oil out the timing chain cover seal. I've never seen a motor do this and we assume the gapless rings are creating excessive crankcase pressure, even though we have breathers installed on both valve covers. Soon we will be installing a crank case evacuation set-up from Moroso, I'll keep you posted on results. Rob

I have used both the CA and the total seal rings, not any real difference. In fact I think the whole deal is super good maketing trick and little or no measurable performace is gained by using these rings.

Check out this site for a good discussion on oil control.

http://www.hastingsmfg.com/Service%20Tips/factors_influencing_oil_control.htm

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Wally
Gold #67
67 Malibu "Small Block"
90 SS454
71 Malibu "Small Block"
93 torch red vette

I was at the sreet machine nationals in DuQuin IL about 5 years ago at a winston cup engine building seminar, When the question about gapless rings came up. Their feeling is once an engine reaches operating temperature your rings basically seal themselves. So according to this guy Winston Cup engine builders do not use these rings. I have personally used normal second gap rings and Total Seal and really could not tell much if any difference in performance, When you leak test your motor with gapless rings it gives you a very impressive reading.
With that said I think if you go with the Moroso evacuation system it should solve your problem.
Also you are not trying to break your engine in on synthetic motor oil?
If so it will cause all kinds of troubles


Jeff Palazzolo
St Louis MO
66 ElCamino

I bored the motor .030 and put a set of KB hypertech pistons. I used Total Seal rings. I set my top ring gap large as per the instalation instructions with the pistons. It seems the top ring on the KB pistons are a little higher (to lessen the quench area) but this causes the top ring to get hotter and expand more. The gapless ring is the middle ring (if I remember right). I just had a three angle valve job,new valve seals and the heads milled. The engine is running excellent so I will try to put some more miles on the engine and see if things seat.

I personally don't use them in street engines because I've seen too many complaints about oil consumption with them. I also don't see that they do anything useful besides give you an artificially low leakdown reading. I'm still willing to use them in racing engines, tho'.

Tom

Just to add, I've got Total Seal ring's in my 1970 396 (402), no problem's with oil consumption and the leak down #'s are real impressive!
Total Seal's shop in Greenland N.H. built my motor too, so far so good! Nick P.

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Nick P.
Team Chevelle Gold #36
www.chevelles.com/showroom/Nick's1970ChevelleSS396.jpg (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/Nick's1970ChevelleSS396.jpg)