Ring gap on a 496 -8.1L vortec engine ?
 

Hi all !
Is there any who have experiance with how narrow ring gap its ok to use in a 496 HO 420hp engine ? Its going in a Mastercraft so possible most light load.
Thanks a lot.

add a couple thousandths to the spec. boats run hot pistons in cool bores frequently. the heavy load will heat the pistons while the very large cooling system (atlantic ocean? ohio river?) is keeping the block temps low. result can be pistons and rings expanded to the max in bores that haven't expanded much at all.

go with .018/.024 gap.Hasting rings are pre-gapped to the larger gap .