Start by cleaning all the carbon from the ring grooves, checking that oil drain openings and oil ring pin bosses aren't blocked, so that essential metal is not removed from the ring or ring-land area. Make certain the
Piston ring grooves have no nicks or burrs on the edges. Place a feeler gauge onto the ring land and ring, tight enough so the ring can move inside the groove freely. Put your ring in the bore and press down on it with the inverted piston, making sure the ring does not touch the cylinder surface below the lower edge of its travel and checking the gap with a feeler gauge between the two ring ends. The oil control rings are symmetrical and can be fitted either direction, put the oil rail spacer in first, then add the side rails. They are separate, so swap them out only when your doctor advises; you can put the top compression ring on, dot side up or side down, but the second you'll know is right if its relatively flat, bottom inside has been chamfered and it's got a spot for correct placement. Drag the ring installer with the second compression ring's dot pointing up and then put the top ring in place. The oil spacer gap should be centered on the piston skirt, the oil rails should be 180° opposite each other on the centerline of the piston pin bore, the No. 2 compression ring gap should follow the top oil rail by 180° and the No. 1 compression ring gap should be 180° further than the No. 2 ring gap.