Has anyone rebuilt a 350 TPI? If so where did you find rings for it, I have been helping a buddy of mine rebuild the motor in his 92 Formula and we are having a heck of a time finding rings for that motor. It takes two different size rings instead of the standard small block rings. I think he is going to end up putting pistons in the motor just because he cant find rings. ON a side note this motor has 180k on and has had the snot ran out of it for the past 8 years and I have never seen a motor this clean inside when torn down. The piston skirts dont even have a scuff on them anywhere.

You mean it takes 2 different thickness compression rings? Wow, that's odd.

I was aware that sometime around 1990 they went to a "low tension" ring pack in those motors, but I wasn't aware they used different thicknesses on the compression rings. Thought they were still 5/64, 5/64 like all other factory small blocks.

Do you know the thickness of the rings needed for each groove? I'm assuming if one's thinner than usual it would probably just be a commonly available 1/16" thickness, allowing you to play mix-n-match with 2 ring sets.

Check out this number, it's a LT1 ring set for the VIN "R" 5.7L.
2.0 mm top ring, 1.5 mm second, 4.0 mm oil ring set. (shallow oil ring groove)

Check out this number, it's a LT1 ring set for the VIN "R" 5.7L.
2.0 mm top ring, 1.5 mm second, 4.0 mm oil ring set. (shallow oil ring groove)


I dont know about the oil ring set but yes the top ring is 2mm and the top 1.5mm second ring. I will look into it and let him know.

Yeah that is the ones, but I just called my buddy and he bought a different set of pistons for it yesterday for the motor.

Thanks for the info though Rustbucket.

Matt

glad to help. Chances are his new pistons cost less than that ring set. ;)