Okay, so I took my turbo out to rebuild it because it was smoking every time the blow off valve would sound. So I was thinking compressor surge. Well I took it apart and put new bearings and seals in it. But when I pulled out the turbine blade and shaft I realized THERE WAS NO PISTON RING ON IT!! What could have happened to it and what could I have done to cause it to just disappear?

 

Piston ring?

 

Think he means seal....i think

 

I'd be pretty worried if you found a piston ring in your turbo, let alone a turbo on a rotart car...

 

There is a piston ring in the turbo, but there is no way it could completely disintegrate during use without grenading the turbo.
It was either broken on assembly or left out when the previous owner had the turbo apart.

 

its likely on there but completely carboned up and you aren't seeing it properly. there is an oil channel before it in the shaft to sling oil that also looks like a ring land.


if the turbo had no ring it would be a smoke machine all the time.