piston ring gap

[l1tech]

Have a new stock bore CP piston and ring set. Stock ring end gap on a 2007 Honda 450r is .010-.012 on the top ring .009-.013 on the 2nd ring and .008-.028 on the oil ring. CP specs the rings at .018 on the top .022 on the 2nd and a min of .015 on the oil ring. My measurements are .013 on the top, .017 on the 2nd and the oil ring I'm not worried about. Should I file the new rings to CP spec or just leave them be being that they are a little over Honda spec. I'm thinking just leave em but I'm unsure as to how much the piston is gonna expand and change the gap and the last thing I want to happen is have a ring seize.

[pwraddict]

Just leave them. .013 is perfect on the top ring and that's exacly where mine is as well. Don't file on them to get 1 or 2 thousandths. The specs for the CP piston are going to be different than the factory specs since it's a completely different piston. As you said, oil ring .015" minimum.

[Jeremy]

Oh man... filing rings. Give me chills just thinking about it. I hated filing rings! That was one of the few specialty type tools I didnt have.

[l1tech]

I just left em where they. Put it all back together after deglazing the cylinder, and broke em in hard. After changing the break in oil you could tell that the rings seated but after changing the oil again after a day at the track it is perfect, doesn't use oil or smoke and runs really strong....these engines are really simple I was just overthinking it based on years of building automotive engines in the shop.

[Jeremy]

Was always fun breaking in a motor. Its part mental, but they feel and sound so crisp.