Bryan

One thing I don't use my smart phone to pay for anything. I don't connect it to Facebook or Twitter. Don't want it dinging all the time. Do use it for maps and to find good restaurants, and look over their menu before we go in. Getting some crank messages trying to get me to click on a link. All sorts of phishing type stuff, oh your Amazon account has been canceled, etc. With Verizon I can change my phone number online in 5 minutes, just have to let close friends, family, doctors, and some recurring business contacts know. Learning not to give my number out at any store, not Lowes, Tractor Supply, etc. Doesn't take long after that to start getting junk.

Took the patches off, took a while to clean the goo off. Brake cleaner works. Pressure washed inside the water jackets to get the evaporust out. Reoiled everything. Finished with the block for now.

Where pictures come in handy...

I'm beginning to believe the 2nd compression ring is 3/32 and the top ring land is 1/8". Or the top land is getting the crap beat out of it. Checked one of the 53 pistons, same thing. Top land way wider than 2nd. Instead of .1000-05 it's .1130. Anybody know if that's normal?

Hey Boog, ya been drinking or tokin'? ?

Well that didn't work. Side patch blew out. That's all I'm trying on that method. If I put the core plugs in that would hold, but that's where I was wanting to blow out any crud.

One hour, no leaks so far. If I can get 2-3 hours it might hold. Used 2 layers on all the lower patches. Also got my core plugs from Summit. Good I had other stuff to order. Hate buying core plugs for $20 and paying $11 for shipping. On the 1953 Dodge head core plug near the sensor, the Melling 1-3/16 MEP-21B is a loose fit, no space around it, just not tight until you whap it. On the 48 head it is tighter. The 1-13/64 cup plug is a tight fit on the 53 head. Not the right plug, but reckon if you had a 1-13/64 dish it would be better. I think the Melling MPC-225 (0.775" diameter) is going to fit in the rear oil galley as a backup to the threaded plug. I test fitted it, was going in 1/8", all I have to do is drive it in.

Wrote to Total Seal..filled out their form with info ending in this-> Other-Modifications: Regular street use. Compression raised from 7 to 8. Just trying to find something better than brittle cast iron or "grey iron" rings. Looking for something more flexible and moly coated. Wondering how much it would cost. Bryan, Thanks for contacting us. Unfortunately, we don’t have any stock of the rings in that size at this time. Lake Speed, Jr. Total Seal Piston Rings

Dear Bryan, Thank you for the inquiry. I hope retirement is going well. This sounds like an interesting project. Regretfully, Pri does not manufacture piston ring sets for reciprocating combustion engines. Please try one of the following companies: Wiseco Total Seal Grover Mahle Ohlins USA Hastings Grant Riken Nippon AD Ring Niagara The interest is appreciated. Good luck with this! Sincerely, Joseph A. Eaton International and Domestic Sales Manager Precision Rings, Incorporated

Not yet. Haven't arrived. The ring info is from the Dodge shop manual in the engine section.

That was me. But I had the block with the extra hole, and both my heads were the older type without the hole. I threaded the hole, and use a cut off/grinded bolt with a slot cut in the top to fill the hole. Reckon you could do the same with the head.

But which is correct? 3/32 or 1/8? So far I've measured the pistons that come out of the motor, and the top ring land was wider. The lower ring land was closer to 3/32. Not snug but close. I've order a set of NOS pistons from VPW for $75 (plus unknown shipping). I'll measure the ring lands on them and the compression height. Matt on the phone said they were 2.0 CH. Said I might have to scotch brite them.

Thanks for the heads up.

Not yet. It only stays a couple of hours before a seal blows. Might try a double layer on the side ones, but one more try is it. Learning from it. Reckon it works better on the outside of a boat (with water trying to press it in) than water pressure from the inside.

Side one in the last picture blew out after 3 hours. I'll try one more time and that will be it.

Muffler pipe cutout. Emergency brake cable in case the other breaks. Who knows...

Getting kind of antsy with little details that's not mentioned often. First thing was compression height, and the fact nobody warns that "rebuilder" pistons are .02 lower on the top. If you don't deck your head and install them, you knock down compression. Now it's the 3/32, 3/32, 5/32, 5/32 rings that pistons manufacturers list on their ring advertisements. Took it for granted, but finally looked in the manual. The upper compression rings ARE NOT BOTH 3/32 according to the manual. One is 1/8". Is there some little piece of obscure knowledge that nobody has mentioned? "Oh, you have to add this other part to make it right".

Well, I fixed the tape now wait a few hours to see if it holds. Took the old off, used a flat file on the surrounding surface to knock off some of the high places. It was leaking in the low ditches on the surface. Also on the front I threaded bolts in neighboring holes with Teflon tape. Cleaned surface several times with brake cleaner and hit it with a torch to burn off any residue. Then I used my Pre-stick strips of the tape to make sure the final patch would stick. What a pain in the butt. Hope it works. At least when it leaks I catch all the run off and re-use it.

Think also the driveshaft is different length.

Haven't seen that on mine. It has a 3 spd column shift with Fluid Drive.

$12,585.00 -> Inflation Calculator | Find US Dollar's Value from 1913-2022 (usinflationcalculator.com)

Well, the rear patch didn't hold. It all leaked out. Was slow but overnight was enough. Come Monday I'll take the rear patch off, reclean the area and try again. Caught all the stuff in a container underneath. You really have to clean it and then take a strip of tape to stick it on and off a few times to clean it. You can tell the first time the tape strip isn't hard to pull off. Really hope this works. I'll still reuse the Evaporust to clean the head. Another thing. It's been cold here. Might have to heat the block up some when I stick the tape to it.

Holding pretty well. Got a slight seep in the rear patch at the bottom of patch. You can't see it drip, very slow. I put a 2nd layer on it. Might not have cleaned the surface as well on that one.. Maybe one drop per hour. Got a container under the engine.