[Vwdiesel] about to re-ring, scuff question

[LBaird119 at aol.com]

> <<<Put the rings in DRY!  No oil on
>  the rings or groves other than what they scrape off.>>
>
>  Why is this? For proper break-in? The Total Seal instructions say this
too.
> I
>  really oiled the rings, pistons, and bores when I re-ringed.
>
>  --Nate

  Two things I'd guess it to be.  One, it would cause the rings to seat in
quite quickly.  I have a friend that raced motorcycles and he'd take a
freshly honed cylinder, clean all oil from it, wipe  it with a sponge and
let it sit out overnight and assemble it with dry rings.  Said they were
seated by the end of the first lap!
  The other reason I can think of is no oil behind the first two rings, to
coke or collect soot behind the rings.  I just know that TS loudly says
to do it that way so it makes sense to work on most rings.  I oil the
skirts and walls lightly though, which they say is fine.
     Loren