Hi Guys,
I got a real dumb question about these engines and other ABC Engines I have. The piston seems to have a small ring about an 1/8" from the top, is this a ring, if its a ring what type of ring is it?? I read an article which stated that Mr. Walker had something like a thousand flights on his OS40VF. If its a ring, should ya have some on hand to replace?? I don't mess with tearing down engines. Does anyone work on these engines anymore?? I really like the way these engines run, smooth with a lot of power. If the engine last for a thousand flights and I fly once or twice a week, it would probably last me my life time. I use the panty hose method for a air cleaner and filter the fuel to the engine. I would think that world be enough protection?? Most my pipe engines seem to like to run around 10,000 to 10,200, they seem to be very happy at that rpm?? Once they are airborne they seem to relax and seem to be a happy camper?? I know ya don't want to try and run them to rich, cause it just doesn't work. The engine will just spit and cough and throw a fit and if ya get her a little lean, when ya pull the nose up she starts losing rpm's. Anyway if you guys would let me know if I have to worry about getting rings for these engines, I guess I better get busy and see if any are available. It seems like the more ya find out about our toys, the more depth there seems to be???

Thank You
Gary

Hello Gary,
The answer is a definite No, the "ring" that you are seeing is presumably the seal area which you obtain after running in. When new, there is a tight area around top dead center, which is a characteristic of the ABC, ABN etc type of engine. This tight spot decreases somewhat in a run in engine and the "ring" is just the area where the piston has bedded in.
So do not worry about getting a stock of new "rings" because there are none. Just feed the engine as per Randy's instructions above and you should be good to go for a very long time.

  Depending on which FSR he has, there can indeed be a ring - a Dykes ring exactly where he sees something.

    Brett

Hello, I was just answering your question. Your first sentence was " I have a real dumb question about THESE engines and OTHER ABC engines". I took it that everyone was talking about ABC type engines and answered accordingly. You got a straight answer for a straight question.

Regards,

Andrew.

The FSRs  had lapped (no ring) ,Dykes ring, and they had standard ring versions.
Some of the lap fit ABN motors have a groove cut into the top of the piston, that maybe could be confused as a ring but it is not, Some say the groove is good for helping oiling.

Randy

Hi Gary,

None of the VF series that I have ever heard of were ringed, only ABN.  The sleeve is nickel plated, not ABC which is chrome plated sleeve.  I am not sure if OS ever made true ABC engines.

Bill

Hi Randy,
Thank you, I believe thats what I'm seeing is the groove in the piston. If its was a ring it wouldn't be very wide. Also, didn't OS make only one version of the VF Engines, ABC???

Gary

Hi Gary

The VFs are all  ABN ...nickle..... and none of them are ABC or AAC unless they have been converted over, I converted many of them to ABC and AAC

Randy