Question... running only one compression ring in a flathead

[MB165]

Has anyone experimented with omitting one of the two compression rings on the old aluminum bore flatheads?

Im just kicking around the idea, to see what happens to bore life.
I have disassembled quite a few of these old engines, and noticed the vast amount of carbon build up usually stops at the first compression ring, just how much does the second ring do? Im in the middle of rebuilding three H35s, one is going to get a single ring. Any ideas, opinions?

 

[Rhovis]

Here's a few points for you to consider:

Besides sealing the combustion chamber, the rings also act as a heat path to cool the piston. Granted the skirt and oil splish also cool the piston but the ring is no small player

The second ring also seals the blow-by that gets past the top ring so unles you're using a gapless top ring the second ring is a big player when it comes to sealing the combustion chamber

The second ring also helps to scrape excess oil off the wall that gets pass the oil ring. Oil in the combustion chamber is bad as it cuts down on peek tempertures and these are heat "pumps" after all

The rings also stablize the piston in the bore which contribute to minimizing "ring flutter" which in turn improves the seal

The only benefit the Rhovis can see is reducing friction which is minimal to begin with. Overall it's a bad idea in the book of Rhovis

 

[wjustice]

I know its not exactly the same thing but some old 2 strokes used a single l-ring. I have 2 old kohler air cooled twins that both have single rings.