BHW Piston Rings - Anyone have a good source?

I dislike using this part of the forum for this but I want to do a mini overhaul on my BHW with GTB1756VK due to some blowby issues and I can't help but notice that the piston rings for the BHW are crazy expensive!

The cheapest I've seen them is $50 for a set for one piston. IDParts has them for 20-ish but they don't have them in stock.

Any idea guys? Am I screwed here? Looks like I might need 200 bucks for just piston rings

Oddly enough, I found some a couple years ago at rockauto.com. And they were Nural brand if I recall.

The dealer pricing on piston rings is silly stupid expensive. May as well buy a piston. Then when you price that, may as well buy a shortblock, as that collection of parts if priced individually comes out to about 10 grand.

Cheapest route currently seems to be call Total Seal and have some made.

http://www.totalseal.com/

Total Seal, I can give you the quote/work order number if you'd like, had some made in December, took them just over a week. Cost me around $210 shipped.

DJGonzo said:

I dislike using this part of the forum for this but I want to do a mini overhaul on my BHW with GTB1756VK due to some blowby issues and I can't help but notice that the piston rings for the BHW are crazy expensive!
The cheapest I've seen them is $50 for a set for one piston. IDParts has them for 20-ish but they don't have them in stock.
Any idea guys? Am I screwed here? Looks like I might need 200 bucks for just piston rings

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Try Franko6, Franks VW TDIs in Missouri. He works quite a bit with BHW pistons and stocks only Goetze rings. I have them and they have been excellent in my build.

Hey, Keith! Thank you for the recommendation.

We stock not only Goetze rings, but are selling their performance diesel rings, reasonably priced at that. We also carry our BHW 53.7mm performance H-beam rods if you intend any performance bump. We also stock the sputtered bearings for the connecting rods. While you are at it, with the cylinder head removed, that is the ideal time to get the align bore for the cam journals straightened out. They never did very well at the factory

I offer that you call me . We will not only help you, we will help you get it very right.

Good to know you have the rings, didn't think to try you, looked at all the other vendors, lol.

I'm new to the this forum, just got a BHW with the blow by issue. Previous owner, oldschool euro mechanic installed a crankcase venting breather apparatus that separates oil mist from air. I don't really like the "solution" , seems like a temp fix. So, I want to do a rebuild like you, Gonzo, but finding BHW is $$$$ for everything. Mine is for a swap, so I'm planning a part out to help finance the endeavor. As far as the rings go, is there a European source?

This is the handy work:

Sources?

Any of these good? I bet a few others need them and could possibly combine shipping?? In brand new here, so I might inquire on the vortex too

http://www.idparts.com/piston-ring-set-single-piston-bhwcbeacjaa-p-5934.html
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-Audi-V...470327?hash=item3f150330f7:g:aNsAAOSwo4pYf8Gg
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-Audi-V...470327?hash=item3f150330f7:g:aNsAAOSwo4pYf8Gg
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4x-Kolben...940375?hash=item3f59b47d17:g:7sIAAOSw3KFWf7fd
is there a go to member for the BHW??

I honestly didn't bother with a catch can style system. I just disconnected the PCV hose and I'm doing vent to atmosphere. The fumes are a little too much sometimes, though.

Frank06 has some piston rings but I'm first in line!

DJGonzo said:

I honestly didn't bother with a catch can style system. I just disconnected the PCV hose and I'm doing vent to atmosphere. The fumes are a little too much sometimes, though.

Frank06 has some piston rings but I'm first in line!

Click to expand...

Ha! Did you just virtually shove me? Wouldn't think of it.

No, more like a "get back in line" type of thing lol

Ebay uk : BHW Mahle ring set X4 $108 shipped. The Gotze are $40 extra

There is some risk involed though, couldn't imagine trying to return something and buying from a local seller def has its value.

jchomme said:

Any of these good? I bet a few others need them and could possibly combine shipping?? In brand new here, so I might inquire on the vortex too

http://www.idparts.com/piston-ring-set-single-piston-bhwcbeacjaa-p-5934.html
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-Audi-V...470327?hash=item3f150330f7:g:aNsAAOSwo4pYf8Gg
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-Audi-V...470327?hash=item3f150330f7:g:aNsAAOSwo4pYf8Gg
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4x-Kolben...940375?hash=item3f59b47d17:g:7sIAAOSw3KFWf7fd
is there a go to member for the BHW??

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Why do you want to pay more? Someone said Frank charges $50 for each piston ring set, those links are 64 pounds each so that's $80 each plus shipping. Last link isn't bad, about $150 US shipped. If Frank doesn't have them, TS is around $210.

ID parts don't have any, customer order, minimum 2 months.

Vortex doesn't really know diesels, better off here for diesel advice.

turbovan+tdi said:

Why do you want to pay more? Someone said Frank charges $50 for each piston ring set, those links are 64 pounds each so that's $80 each plus shipping. Last link isn't bad, about $150 US shipped. If Frank doesn't have them, TS is around $210.

ID parts don't have any, customer order, minimum 2 months.

Vortex doesn't really now diesels, better off here for diesel advice.

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I found some sets (4 boxes total) $108-$150

I need to do more research on quality of brand and options and you are right about the Vortex even moreso when it comes to the BHW specifically.

I thought these engines were bullet proof and very hard to wear out, is there gignatic mileage on them to cause blowby?

mickyTDI said:

I thought these engines were bullet proof and very hard to wear out, is there gignatic mileage on them to cause blowby?

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Any engine won't stand up too abuse, lack of maintenance etc.

jchomme said:

I'm new to the this forum, just got a BHW with the blow by issue. Previous owner, oldschool euro mechanic installed a crankcase venting breather apparatus that separates oil mist from air. I don't really like the "solution" , seems like a temp fix. So, I want to do a rebuild like you, Gonzo, but finding BHW is $$$$ for everything. Mine is for a swap, so I'm planning a part out to help finance the endeavor. As far as the rings go, is there a European source?

This is the handy work:

Click to expand...

Take that 'oldschool euro mechanic' hack job off the car and put it back to stock. You "blow by issue" will go away because you don't have a problem. Oil in the intake tract of a turbo diesel is normal and most people cant comprehend this.

I have noticed that PD engines have fairly high blow by seems a characteristic of them engines. Pull the dipstick out of any PD engine when running and you get a fair amount of blow coming out of it compared to other engines.

Its probably not blowby, the vacuum pump vents to the crankcase so most of that "blowby" is from the vacuum pump exhaling.

Kevinski4 said:

Take that 'oldschool euro mechanic' hack job off the car and put it back to stock. You "blow by issue" will go away because you don't have a problem. Oil in the intake tract of a turbo diesel is normal and most people cant comprehend this.

Click to expand...

My blowby is severe enough that if I plug in the PCV hose into the intake tract I will get oil smoke every time I start up the car.

I'm considering doing a catch can.

Jeez...

There is an issue with blow-by and we have set up a lot of cars for nothing more than a re-ring, including my very own vehicle. The 'exhaling' from the vacuum pump is so minor. To be more accurate, when rings are not doing the blow-by thing, there is not pumping of exhaust out the oil fill cap.

To best clarify, it is normal for the engine to age and all diesels will make blow-by. The rule of thumb we use is, if the oil cap blows off the oil fill hole, that's too much...heh.

The other place blow-by happens is from valve guides; both intake and exhaust. Unlike a gasoline engine, both the intake and exhaust valve guides will introduce a bit of blow-by, increasing with age. We never agreed with VW's assessment that a .051" rock measurement means the guides are OK. We think guides should be as tight as you can get away with.

Someone said I charge $50 for ring sets??? First, that is not true.Second, we much prefer the OEM Goetze rings, and third, we have two different styles for stock 81mm pistons; a stock set and performance ring, either one priced less than competitors. Which would you prefer?

Goetze rings, the diamond coated ones are about 20~25€ per set here in romania.

+1 vote for Frank06