Piston Ring End Gap

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2012 Ford Pickup, 2012 Ford F550 Super Duty, 2012 Ford F450 Super Duty, and 2012 Ford Cab & Chassis. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

SPECIAL TOOLS CHART

Feeler Gauge Set
303-D027 (D81L-4201-A) or equivalent

NOTE: Faulty rings cannot always be detected by visual inspection. Therefore, whenever a piston is removed from a cylinder, install new piston rings.

Inspect the new piston rings for cleanliness.
Before installing new piston rings on the piston, check the gap for each ring.
- Push the piston rings into the cylinder bore. Make sure the piston ring is square with the cylinder wall. An inverted piston head may be used to push the piston ring to the desired location of the measurement (usually at the top of the piston ring travel).

NOTE: Typical cylinder block shown.

Fig 1: Measuring Gap Between Ends Of Piston Ring

Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.

Using the Feeler Gauge Set, measure the gap between the ends of each piston ring. For additional information, refer to Specifications .
If the gap does not meet specifications, select another ring or recheck the cylinder bore wear.