Originally posted by DennyW
Well, I hope I'm not wrong. I haven't got any returns yet. Don't think for a minute that I don't keep up and change with the changing times. That's part of my own self learning. I never stop at one level. Theres no progress like that.

Heres a great number of pages to read through. Not just for you, for all wanting to learn, and catch up. I do this type of thing all the time to keep up.
I still use oil when installing pistons though.

This is what I used a lot on a normal rebuild job. I've added a perfect circle page so people can go there and read all about rings also.

Clevite Heavy Duty Rings
Clevite provides quality ring sets designed to exacting specifications. Piston ring quality and tolerances are very critical, as they perform the function of sealing combustion gases in the combustion chamber, plus they prevent lubricating and cooling oil from entering the combustion area.

Clevite ring sets seat fast and provide service life functionally equivalent to original equipment. In fact, superior quality allows us to extend our Premium Plus Warranty for an extra year.

Our Premium Plus ring sets feature a hardened ductile iron ring with and inlaid chrome face, ductile top ring and ductile iron second ring, which normal premium ring sets don't offer. Also, our Premium Plus rings include more chrome plating than traditional premium rings.

All three common compression ring design are offered by Clevite: rectangular, full keystone and half keystone, all in a variety of sets.

Another brand I use, depends on what is being built

Perfect Circle automotive piston rings offer OEM-type quality, premium materials and trouble-free installation. Perfect Circle piston rings are manufactured under strict quality controls that have won numerous original equipment quality awards.

Most applications offer a choice of premium or standard ring sets. Premium ring sets contain either moly-or chrome-faced top compression rings for long life under severe operating conditions.

Our three-piece oil rings use a stainless steel expander between two chrome-faced steel rails to provide a high degree of conformability within the cylinder bore. And, they're built so they can't be installed wrong, an important feature that can save you time and trouble.

Other features such as high strength materials, special ring face contours and torsional designs incorporated to suit the needs of specific applications help to ensure optimum in both compression sealing and oil control.

DUCTILE CAST IRON RINGS•Used In Many Performance Ring Applications •Used In Many Medium And Heavy Duty Applications •Advantage: Resistance To Breaking

STEEL COMPRESSION RINGS•Superior In All Areas Of Strength •Found In Many Automotive Engines Since 1992 •Found In Several Diesel Engines •Never Found Uncoated In An Engine •Superior Side Wear Characteristics

COMPRESSION RING
COATINGS•Cast Iron –+ Low Cost –+ Rapid Break-In –- Moderate Wear Resistance –- Moderate Scuff Resistance

COMPRESSION RING
COATINGS•Plasma Moly –+ Excellent Scuff Resistance –+ Good Wear Resistance –- Higher Cost

COMPRESSION RING
COATINGS•Chrome – + Excellent Wear Resistance – + Good Scuff Resistance – - Highest Cost

LAPPING COMPRESSION
RINGS•PC Laps Both Moly And Chrome –Consistent Finish –Ease Of Break-In

Just go through here, and you can read up on the rings.
http://www.engineparts.com/products/...iles/frame.htm

performance now and coming
http://www.engineparts.com/products/...iles/frame.htm
I THINK WE ARE COMPARING APPLES TO ORANGES HERE.THE RINGS I AM TALKING ABOUT USING (JOBBER) AROUND $150 AND ARE MADE BY J.E.