Hastings Molly rings vs Total Seal??

[buickman69]

I've got my GN motor @ a machine shop/ engine builder with a well known and trusted man in these parts and he IS a Buick guy also and has owned several T-Rs.

It's been recommended to me to run the Total Seal "street" rings but he says he'll only put Hastings Molly rings in.

I've been told the Molly won't seat as good as the Total Seal. I don't want ANY blow-by that's my main concern.

Thoughts and opinions??

Thanks!

 

[Nick Micale]

If you are paying him to build your motor, you are also paying for his expertise. He needs to stand behind his work AND parts so use what he wants and recommends. If a problem develops within a reasonable time and usage, he is then obligated to make it right. Force him to use something else and you hold the bag.

Depending upon application, there are various makes and types of piston rings that work in turbo motors.

 

[JeffG]

I have had Hastings rings in previous motors with good results. Sealed up just fine. My zero gap (top ring) Total Seals are another story.................

 

[Silver 6]

I had a nice talk with the folks at Hastings, and just guess who the ring supplier to Total Seal is? Yep.

And Hastings is a MAJOR supplier of OEM so your motor may have come with them from GM.

 

[Intercooler]

Do you like drips oil drips out your breathers? Smoke out the breathers? Get the Hastings.

If you don't want the above plus a boost in HP get the Total-Seals. More setup involved is probably the reason the guy doesn't want to deal with it. Look into TSM and see what they are running

 

[DR BOOST]

i have about 1000 miles on my total seals and im still getting a lil smoke out of the tailpipes....hopefully they will seal up soon.


surej

 

[JeffG]

mine never did...........

 

[DR BOOST]

how many miles are on em?....i even used that qwik seat crap too!....i get a mild blue smoke out the pipes.


surej

 

[Red Regal T]

I've use the Hastings on my last two rebuilds. I like them and had good luck with them and will use them again. Very little oil usage and no smoke at all.

 

[JeffG]

well over 1k but less then 2. Never sealed. Going to pull the motor back out because of it

 

[DR BOOST]

have u done a compression test ?

my car runs great otherwise, i wouldnt want to tear it down for a lil smoke.

surej

 

[JeffG]

compression is fine. 170ish in all holes. never bothered to do a leak down because I know these rings excel at that. Plugs come out wet with oil. before anyone says it......guides and seals are new. even glued the seals on. Even ran no PCV to make sure it wasn't that.

Pulls down 19" of vacuum too. It does not really smoke running down the highway or even under load for that matter. It smokes like a freight train at idle. The longer it idles the more it smoke.

 

[DR BOOST]

hmmm....the smoke i get gradually fades away...maybe im just picky...but i dont get clouds.

surej

 

[Intercooler]

What size injectors you have my friend? Why are you idling it Buicks are made to run WOT


I had the same smoking at idle. Went to the track and beat on it good on the street and it went away. I also used the powder and think that makes them take longer to seat. When they do though it is good. What ring gaps did you use?

 

[JeffG]

55lb Delphis with translator and extender extreme. Car does not seem to be rich at idle (DirectScan). I beat the snott out of the car (24-25psi) but it never got any better. I need to pull it apart to see what went wrong there. Haven't had time to do it yet. Maybe this is just one bad story out of what seems to be many successes with these rings. Again, these were the zero gap top ring type. There was no seat power used during assy.

Anyway, not intended to hijack this thread. I think buickman69 should sleep okay at night knowing his guy is using Hastings in his car. Hastings worked great in previous motors.

 

[gnx7]

I ran Total Seals in a 109 block motor with JE's. Did the 20 minute break in routine... went out and made 10psi with 1/2 throttle a bunch of times after break in. Didn't smoke after that. Drove it at lower RPMS and 10-12 psi for the first 500 miles. No smoke issues and my engine builder recommends Total Seal file fit rings for any performance motor. They are costlier and require more setup time... but in the long run should be better.

-GNX7

 

[JeffG]

They you go.......file fits. I should have stuck to file fits

 

[buickman69]

I appreciate all the conversation.

This is a stock block, I detonated it and long story short blew out the bottom end but nothing a little machining won't fix.

It's such a PAIN to pull a motor outta these cars, then all the crap of having to deal with the ATR headers to retourqe everything I DREAD it. I darn sure don't want to have to pull it and do it all over again. That's why i'm so worried.

I plan on having this new build in the high to mid 10s but I DON'T want any air passing thru to my pan, or blue smoke coming outta the exhaust either.

Thanks for the input.

 

[Mac in SD]

Originally posted by JeffG
It does not really smoke running down the highway or even under load for that matter. It smokes like a freight train at idle. The longer it idles the more it smoke.

Check your turbo...turbine-side oil seal (split ring) leaks smoke like that. Gets worse as the oil gets hotter and thinner, and sneaks past the seal.

 

[JeffG]

Thanks Mac, but the plugs are wet with oil. I did check the turbo just for grins and it's dry on both sides.................