I'm rebuilding my 88 22re motor and I get my block and parts back from the machinist, and when I check my ring gaps ( 0.009 - 0.015in. is spec) for ring 1 and I got a .023in gap. In all cylinders. And ring 2 was high also. So I called my machinist and he said the spec is too small and I should run it. I had a friend measure the block and he said it seems to be in spec so I'm thinking the rings are bad? (New rings, new everything except head, block,rods, and crank.) My machine guy is actually mad I don't trust him and told me if I don't run them then I can just pick up the rest of my parts from him and our business together is done.. Am I weird for wanting the ring gap to be in spec? Is .023in ok?

Also the parts I'm using are all ITM.
Any input would he great! Thanks.

 

I wouldn't worry about it myself. It's still not even close to the max spec. Your specs are off too. The 88 FSM says:

STD 0.0098 - 0.0185

MAX 0.0421

Now go tell him you're sorry you doubted him. He was right after all.

You probably weren't measuring in the right spot either. The bores will have some degree of taper to them. You need to measure at the very bottoms of them(where they're smallest).

 

Why is the max so much higher than standard? If it can be that high why isn't it .0098 - .042?

 

1. Because it isn't.

2. Because 0.0323"(.82mm) is the tolerance.

Take your pic.