What is this vertical scratch?

[mk3ukr]

Pulled my cylinder head few days ago, found this vertical scratch on cylinder wall. It is marked with arrow on attached picture. My guess it caused by too tight piston ring gap.



Can anybody confirm it?
Thanks

 

[jdub]

Or, a piece of hard debris caught in the ring lands. Could be a piece of the ring as well.
You're not going to know until you pull the piston.

 

[NTRA08]

Ian should be able to help. Looks like wear to me. But the picture is too small for me.

 

[mk3ukr]

Or, a piece of hard debris caught in the ring lands. Could be a piece of the ring as well.
You're not going to know until you pull the piston.

I will see it later, can't disassemble shortblock now, left my engine in car for fabrication of exhaust manifold
On other cylinder I have similar few parallel vertical scratches, though less pronounced. Can be due to rings turning in grooves and leaving multiple scratch marks?

 

[Supracentral]

99 times out of 100 it's physical debris. Was the car ever run without an air filter? You'd be amazed how adept sand is at getting stuck in rings.

 

[mk3ukr]

No, never ran it without air filter

 

[IJ.]

Did you deburr the edge/corner of the rings when fitting?

 

[mk3ukr]

Did you deburr the edge/corner of the rings when fitting?

Not sure, motor was rebuilt not by me. Rings are JE, machinist had to file them to get to specified butt clearance. Possibly he did not removed sharp corner.
This time will do everything by myself

 

[3p141592654]

Could also be a platinum electrode that fell off of the sparkplug. I've seen it happen once. It also put a bunch of tiny dents in the head.

 

[IJ.]

99% sure it'll line up with a ring gap

 

[mk3ukr]

99% sure it'll line up with a ring gap

Yes, this was my first idea when I saw the scratch. Will see when I pull the piston (can't do it now)