Please recommend a piston ring end-gap grinder

[jmarkwolf]

I hoped I could rent/borrow one from an auto parts store but no luck.

Probably have to buy one, but don't want to spend a lot of money (will probably never need it again), AND don't want to fight with a POS while fitting a dozen rings.

Any recommendations/advice?

 

[gungatim]

if you were closer you could borrow mine. maybe try a post on CL in the wanted section, bound to be someone nearby willing to let you borrow one. mine is pretty old, likely 50's or 60's so no idea who made it, picked it up at the flea market cheap since nobody knew what it was. you could try that too but you'd need some good luck.

 

[Firebrick43]

Don't have a needle file you can clamp in a vice?

 

[finn]

When I worked in an engine R&D lab for an Oem, we hand filed gaps on prototype engines.

The commercially available (at the time) ring gapping devices all tended to chip the ring coating at the gap.

Not something you could necessarily see without magnification, but it was definitely an issue when using the tools.

 

[Bdgjr215]

We always hand filed rings on anything that required an adjustment,but that was not very often.