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installing rings on the pistons. looking for a refresher course cause its been years since i've completely rebuilt an engine. is there a certain way the oil rings gaps need to be? and how about staggering the compression rings?

I'm interested to hear about this too...

The compression rings go about 1 1/4" from center line and the same for the oil rings. would sure reccomend the book "How to rebuild your SBF". I've got one in the computer/reading room and one somewhere out in the garage. Hope you can read it, maybe I should have scanned in as a PDF. The hard to read text also says there is a small "pip" mark indicating the top of the rings.
Dave

I staggered my compression rings 180 degrees from each other. I'm sure they spin around in use and that might be a waste of time but I'm not sure. It just makes me feel better doing it that way. If you look at a 2 stroke engine it has little dowels that stick out that prevent the rings from spinning around so the gap doesn't ever line up with a transfer port or it'll catch the end of the rings and snap them. Ask me how I know So I'm pretty sure it's safe to assume the rings in a 4 stroke will do the exact same thing and spin around.

As for oil rings and compression ring gaps etc. I usually call the manufacture in performance applications and get their specific recommendations for the application.

always stagger all the rings. It makes a differance if you dont. Years ago, 15 or more, Ford had a problem with some of there 5.0's using oil. They never did a recall. But if someone came in complaining of using allot of oil, they would take it apart. And in all the one I did with the people complaining about it, the rings where NOT staggard. They would get a free re-ring..... So, always stagger them......