You are out of my ballpark, I have no clue.
From Porsche to Brigs and Stratton even a Lycoming,
I have not ever witnessed indexed oil ring unless it was the OLD old thick ring,
with slots in it, Even then i can't remember if they had a right side up.
But I am curious, what ya got?
Westing house?
Masyfergerson?
Morris Minor?
Washburn?
Wright?

 

Guy built a S&S 113" evo motor, smoked like a mosquito fogger first start up, I mean smoke screen thick clouds. Tear down I found both top rings in upside down, sucking oil past like crazy. All Hastings ring sets I've used over the years have orientation dots & instructions.

 

Hastings, that brings back bad memories, prefer perfect circle.

 

https://www.hastingspistonrings.com/...g-installation

Three Piece Flex Vent

First, place the spacer in the grove. Then spiral the first rail into the groove below the spacer followed by the remaining rail into the groove above the spacer.

Compression Rings

Although in many cases most compression rings appear similar to the mechanic installing them, there are, however, many subtle design changes which dictate how the ring is correctly installed.

Not only must the ring be installed with the proper side toward the top of the piston, but it is also imperative that the ring be installed in the proper groove.

Rings installed in the wrong groove or wrong side up can lead to excessive oil pumping, excessive blow-by, and in some cases completely dry up the bore, causing ring and cylinder scuffing as well as accelerated wear. Any of these problems, of course, constitute a failure as far as an engine overhaul or rebuild is concerned.

Lay the rings out in groups of tops ring and 2nd rings on the bench.
Check for TOP marks (DOT or lasor marks).

With the oil control rings loaded on the piston, using a proper ring installation tool, open the second groove rings with the top mark up, just enough to allow the ring to go over the top diameter of the piston. Work the opened ring down from the top of the piston to the second groove, place the ring squarely into the piston groove taking care to keep it flat, release the tension of the ring installer tool (ring is now installed).

Repeat this same process with the Top groove rings.
(Compression rings must never be spiraled on the piston.)

 

It's about how the oil control ring ends come together. One way they forms an M shape, and the other way forms a W. Some pistons have small oil drainback holes and depending on the orientation of how the ends meet and where the drainback hole is, ring end can get stuck in the hole. Some manufacturers will specify an orientation. I believe Mahle does.

 

Learn something new everyday !!
All though he said nothing about which way the spring went, "M" or "W"
he did say on those rings,- there is a dot for the oil control rings.
On high-end rings, they should be adjusted to your preference.
I have low tension about 12-pound pull on mine . No use in turning 30 pounds of resistance
in an air-cooled engine.
Beer
you win ...sort of LOL
You made me smarter thank you

 

The tech mentioned a dot on the ring, and said it should be facing towards the top of the piston.

 

At about 1.38 he says dwn ..which is interesting

 

I remember hanging around the local dealer's shop in the mid-70's and I was there when they found a bike that came from the factory with no rings at all on either piston. It still ran pretty good but used a lot of oil and blew even more smoke than was usual with those motors. The owner had put almost 1000 miles on it like that.

If the tech finds the rings upside down, then ya can at least give 'em credit for taking a stab at getting it right.

MoCo QC and pride in workmanship. Gotta love it!

 

YOu musta smoked some good stuff back in the 70s..