Clocking pistons on with 4 rings.

The 49 thru 51 Lincoln Mercury overhaul manual states(quote) "The piston must be installed on the rod so that when the installation is made in the engine, the split skirt of the piston will be towards the left side of the engine (viewed from the rear) with the numbered side of the right bank rods toward the right side of the engine and the numbered side of the left bank rods toward the left side of the engine." (end quote)
 
How often do you strip and engine and find the rings still lines up like the book says. Those rings usually slide around in the grooves. I install rings back and forth 180* Walt
 
Walt when you get an engine that has all the ring gaps lined up that is a very good indication that the cylinder is out of round and when the rings were rotating they all stopped when the gaps came around to the out of round.

PS your ring stagger idea is a well accepted and proven practice.

R
 
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