350X ring end gap problem

[Blown 331]

I'm putting new rings in my 350X and I'm having a problem with the ring end gap. It's a stock bore and I measured the piston at 81mm. I bought new Honda standard bore rings for it but the ring end gap is .075! The old rings are roughly the same, around .075. The spec is .008 to .014. I had not seen this engine that I'm rebuilding run but I told it smoked. Any suggestions here? I was hoping to have this thing together today. I can't put it together like this.

[muthey]

are you sure the smoking issue was from the rings? Could it possibly have been from bad valve guide seals? I would have ran it before tearing it down, simply because hearsay is a nasty thing to trust.

[Blown 331]

are you sure the smoking issue was from the rings? Could it possibly have been from bad valve guide seals? I would have ran it before tearing it down, simply because hearsay is a nasty thing to trust.

I can't imagine anyone selling an engine would lie and say it smokes when it really does not. I sure wasn't going to put it in my bike just be sure, and have to pull it right back out.

[muthey]

I understand that, but smoking is not always burning oil it could be running too rich or moisture build up as well did he tell you what color the smoke was?

[hoosierlogger]

Time for a bore and piston.

[murfman]

What he said^^^ You need to bore it and get an over sized piston and rings. OR you can go for a big bore kit. I am putting together a 96mm bore 350 right now. If you want to go stock I have a clean piston and jug from my motor It did not smoke and had good compression before I tore it down for the build. PM me if you are interested.

[WilliamJ]

Sounds like the bore is either very, very badly worn or it has been bored out by half a millimetre already.

If it is tapered (narrower at the bottom) then it suggests wear. If it is straight then it has definitely been bored over stock. Get a machine shop to measure it.
Bill

[Blown 331]

Yeah a piston and bore or a big bore would definitely take care of it. I must have made an error in my measurements. A friend of mine is tearing down his smoking 350x and is going to buy my new rings if his is standard bore so I hope it is. Now I need to figure out if I'm going used, big bore or 1mm over 10.25 Wiseco. I'm leaning towards the Wiseco but I'm waiting on more info on the big bore.