Piston Rings

[Volvoist]

What piston rings (brand) are the best to use when rebuilding the D24? I am planning to use the OE style spring type, but wanted to see what those that have rebuilt the D24 have used, where they were purchased, and what their experience with them has been. I am not there yet, as I need to open up at least one of my motors to see if it needs to be bored out. I am hoping it will just clean up and can be re-ringed. We'll see...

[Jason]

I'm using Deves piston rings in my new engine, they are kinda pricey compaired to some, but are US made. The company has been around for a long time. I know quite a few "old guys" that used their rings in their race engines for years and always had good luck. They have a two piece second compression ring which I thought was kinda cool, to help keep tension and I would expect hold better compression. I obviously don't have many miles on the engine yet so I cant give you any long term results.

Jason

[Volvoist]

Jason, What kind of expander does it use behind the oil ring(s)? How many miles have you put on them?

[Volvoist]

I got my engine apart (as stated in another thread). I am online looking for rings for it. I want to go with the single piece oil ring design with the OE spring type expander. I am looking at Goetze and Mahle, though I cannot find a good price or a good place to buy them... in other words, I am having trouble locating them easily and when I do, the price is outrageous. I have, however, sourced some from a VW Parts website for $9/cylinder (I am assuming they are some Chinese ones) and I have not heard anything bad about these rings. My question is should I simply get the Chinese rings that have the OE one piece piston ring, or is it worth getting the Mahle or Goetze rings? If I go with the Goetze or Mahle, where do you guys suggest I buy them from? I have been searching using a 1.6L Rabbit diesel as reference. I'd like to order by tomorrow. Thanks!!

[Jason]

The Deve's rings are a 4 piece oil ring as I remember, which really suprised me... It has the two scrapers, a zigzag spacer, and a tensioner that goes behind all of it. In addition, the 2nd compression ring also had an additional tensioner spring behind the ring. Once compressed, they really fight tight down the bore of the block. I've probably only put just over 1000 miles on my engine so far, I just got it in at the end of October, and it sat for 3 weeks in dec with the blown up rear end. I can tell you that within 100 miles or so, there is next to zero blow by, and it sure starts great, even with the leaky valves!

Jason