Wow, I wish I had your skill as a machineist, had your tools and knew how to use them.

The ring gap discussion started with my wondering what an acceptable or factory specification was for a ring end gap on an Enya .46-4C. I don't know how my Enya runs I bought it used and hasn't seen a drop of fuel yet. I did suspect that a .011" end gap was excessive since my Honda 500 single's end gap is .0118". I could care less if the piston ring is made of paper mache. I never brought that issue up. I have rebuilt many engines and always had a manufacturers specification for ring end gap. The is no such thing for my .46. Thanks to a fellow named Frank Bowman I now have a spec. that is credible and founded on fact and experience. I'm as happy as a pig in feces being armed with this information that even the manufacturer of my engine couldn't provide. When I work on engines I don't guess at tolerances and specifications. To quote Frank Bowmn "I don't get upset when someone wants to set their own (ring) gaps, I look at it as you want to get the most out of your engines." "All large gaps do is waste much needed power in small engines." The priciples of operation of an internal combustion engine are the same for a Cox .010 as they are for a 1710 c.i. Allison V-12 aircraft engine regardless of whether it's a two cycle or four cycle. Intake, combustion, power, exhaust. If ring end gap is of little importance then one might assume that a compression leak at the glow plug, cylinder head, intake valve, exhaust valve are also of little importance. Let's not get into intake manifold leaks or two cycle crankcase leaks.

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree." I am my fathers son and upon his death he probably had forgotten more than I will ever know about internal combustion engines. Any job worth doing is worth doing right. Don't blame me, blame my father.

Sincerest regards,
Bill