Need help with piston rings..Engine Gurus!!

[Squirrel Master]

I am rebuilding an 86 200x top end. I have a WSM piston and ring kit. There were no instructions included with the set, just gap specs.I need to know which piston ring goes where. I'm talking about the top two rings; one has a 'coating', and is brighter than the other one. The rings are both marked so I know which way is up, but not which is the top and which is the second. On a car engine, the coated or shiny ring always goes on the top. Is this true with bikes too? I know it probably is, but I REALLY don't want to tear this engine back down!!

[MTS]

Chrome ring on top

[Squirrel Master]

Thanks, that's the way I put it together.:beer

[PowerTech]

and usualy with the markings up. if there are little markings like letters nere the gap . put those markings up.

[Chucksoup]

Thanks, that's the way I put it together.:beer

Did you hone and deglaze your cylinder before you put it back togeather? Your new rings need a clean surface to seat right. Is it a cast piston or forged aloy? The alloy ones expand. If you don't have the clearence and you heat up, you might seize. Just a word of caution.

[jason 32]

yea ,and i used a wsm as well- the company said to go with the stock clearances,
you can call them if you want

[Squirrel Master]

I had the cylinder bored and honed at a machine shop. I did put the rings on with the markings up. I have built many a car engine, but for some reason these little bike engines are intimidating. It must be the cost of parts , I don't really know. I did get it running last night, and it runs pretty good. It smoked pretty bad for the first several minutes, but each time I ran it there was less and less smoke. It might have 90 minutes of run time by now, and only smokes a tiny bit after it runs for 10 minutes or so. I put the shiny edged ring on the top by the way. Oh, it's a cast piston. All the ring gaps measured very good. Thanks for all the input!

[SYKO]

i used the wsm piston kit on my 200sx it was .70 over it worked great on that motor, every once in a while I would get a puff of smoke after a few days of not riding but other than that it was good quility

[TRI-Zbrian]

im sure as the engine is broken in more your problem will prolly go away...it takes a while for the rings to seat...