Topic: No-name Chinese piston/ringsets:the rings are marked for sequence/position..

[grcamna2]

I'm installing a set of pistons/ring sets.These are the Chinese brand w/o any brand name.I am filing the rings end-gaps to match OEM specs for fitting the pistons/rings in a new bore-job and during the process of filing the steel on both of them I noticed one required a stone to file the end-gap while the other one was able to be filed using a standard file.They are'1' for top ring and '2' for middle ring and '3' for 3-piece oil rings all packed inside a marked envelope describing ring position on the piston with 3 separate diagrams/pictures.The question I have is,the one that came in the package marked '1' for Top(usually a harder chrome ring for the top on most)ring is a softer material than the one marked '2' for middle ring position:that #2 ring is the harder steel and seems like it should be the top ring rather than the other soft steel ring(marked #1)which came in the package marked "#1".I know it's how they came in the package but.. it just doesn't seem right to put the softer of the two rings in the top position.
Have any of you members run into that when setting-up a top-end job using made in china piston & ring sets ??
thanks,Bill

[69cb750]

Have any of you members run into that when setting-up a top-end job using china piston & ring sets ??

Don't use ANY china parts in your engine !

[PeWe]

Cheaper than Cruzinimage?

[grcamna2]

Cheaper than Cruzinimage?

Not really,just don't recall the name brand the ebay seller listed,there's no name on the box or fitting instructions;the instructions are good in English,they seem like alright quality,considering.I will just use these on this engine for now.

Edit:There's lots of china piston kits that have both the top ring and 2nd ring almost identical.This particular set are identical-looking as both 1st and 2nd rings are coated with that hard silver coating on the wearing edge(not chrome),both are only marked "TOP",and if I didn't file the end-gaps on either one of them I could have easily put the harder one in place of the softer one and call it '#1 and #2:top and middle.I imagine that's what happened when they packed these,it seems they just mixed them up.

[Bodi]

This is new for me. I never noticed a harder ring.
Why do you want the hard one on top? I would have the top ring softer to wear in to the cylinder and hold compression better. The second oil control ring probably could stand conforming to the bore but maybe not necessary?

[grcamna2]

This is new for me. I never noticed a harder ring.
Why do you want the hard one on top? I would have the top ring softer to wear in to the cylinder and hold compression better. The second oil control ring probably could stand conforming to the bore but maybe not necessary?

That's a good point,it's why I started this thread because I'm not sure with these China piston kits,any of them;I like OEM the best.There are other folks here that've installed made in China piston kits had to file their ring end-gaps to fit the new bore.I have always installed the OEM rings and the Top/1st position piston ring has always been the one that was the hardest material.The two(top and 2nd) piston rings from these kits I'm describing both look identical(as I said earlier)and the only difference is hardness.My default position is to install the one that's the hardest material at the # '1' Top position and that's what I intend to do,would like a little feedback if you know.

These two rings:Top & Middle are visually identical except for one being harder than the other.I think the person who put the rings in the numbered packages made a mistake(as we know this has been a trend for China:oops!  ) from the factory in China.I have always known the hard/toughest material ring to go in the Top position and the 2nd ring has always been softer,in my experience with rings so far.I'm glad I filed the end-gaps on both of them to determine which one was a harder(Top)compression ring and which one was a softer material(2nd)and so I will be installing the hard Top ring in the Top groove of the piston,even though they came in different packages miss-marked,imo.
I don't want to install the softer(was marked as Top)one in the Top position and the harder one in the middle position because it'll cost me a bore-job and I want this one to last for the full duration it should.

[bryanj]

It gives positions on the packets for a reason so stick to it, frequently the shape is different even if not visibly so and would not fit any rings that needed filing

[grcamna2]

This is new for me. I never noticed a harder ring.
Why do you want the hard one on top? I would have the top ring softer to wear in to the cylinder and hold compression better. The second oil control ring probably could stand conforming to the bore but maybe not necessary?

That's a good point,it's why I started this thread because I'm not sure with these China piston kits,any of them;I like OEM the best.There are other folks here that've installed made in China piston kits had to file their ring end-gaps to fit the new bore.I have always installed the OEM rings and the Top/1st position piston ring has always been the one that was the hardest material.The two(top and 2nd) piston rings from these kits I'm describing both look identical(as I said earlier)and the only difference is hardness.My default position is to install the one that's the hardest material at the # '1' Top position and that's what I intend to do,would like a little feedback if you know.

I'd like some more feedback.