Problems Fitting Oil Rings

[mikemill]

Problems fitting oil rings, I am wrapping the piston with 2 thou shim then easing down the oil ring over the compression slots but they are breaking at the oil holes the most fragile point, this method works well for the compression rings, I have also filled a slight chamfer on the inside of the ring break to stop digging into the piston.
I had thought of drilling the oil holes after fitting but as I have drilled the oil holes in the piston already I would end up with too many holes!!!!
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks

Mike

[Stuart]

Question did you make these rings ?

If you did I would after you split the ring put a thicker spacer in the gap clamp them up as normal and take them to full red heat keep there for 5 mins then allow to air cool ,that should help as they would be larger in the relaxed state therefore less expansion required to fit

[gbritnell]

Hi Mike,
 What I did when I made small oil rings was to leave a wider blank space (undrilled area) opposite the break. This way I wouldn't be flexing the ring near or on an oil hole. I still got some breakage but not nearly as much.
gbritnell

[mikemill]

Thanks for advice, Stuart your idea seems to make sense I will try it, the basic problem is the oil holes make the rings less flexible.
A wider ring with smaller holes might help to give more strength.

Mike