thats the one!

 

Another reason to buy the fuel moto kit comes with rings already gapped

 

gapping rings only takes a file.. nothing fancy needed.

 

another case for the good Indi

 

you don't even need a ring compressor..you can run push ring in with your thumb,be careful, they are sharp sometimes. or use a hose clamp.. don't use assembly lube on the cylinder. use spray lithium grease.. if you rub oil or assy. lube on, your transferring dirt off your hands on to the cylinder (even if you think they are clean, there is still dirt there that oil releases)
most rings come gaped, but you always need to check them.. all you need is a fine file and a feeler gauge..

 

The one I have might work, but that set FroggyFatBoy posted a photo of looks way better. There's cheap versions of it on ebay under $25, but I don't know if they're as good as the one he posted with the ratchet lock; that sounds like a good feature.

Another alternative is the one in the photo, carried at Sears (which also has the KD set). It's under $20, but I have no idea how well it works. You might want to look at these options, if there's a Sears store near you that carries them. Also sold by O'Reilly Auto parts.

 

I haven't done any HD pistons but I've done literally hundreds of V-8 auto engines. In my twenties I worked at an auto engine remanufacturing facility and assembled engines all day long. The style ring compressor shown in FroggyFatBoy's post is by far the best ring compressor available in my opinion.

 

what ?????

.that may work for a lawn mower engine you don't really care about, but that is a disaster waiting to happen.. spray lithium grease is for hinges , latches and the like, NOT piston rings.. wow..


my time tested way of assembling the piston was after ring install and preliminary ring placement was to dip the piston assy into a container of auto trans fluid up to and including the wrist pin, then position the rings in the correct position, squeeze the previous shown compressor around the piston and put it in the cyl.. its a little messy, but i have never smoked a ring or cyl on start up or had a engine comeback after repairs. my 67 i put together in 86 still runs today with no problems and has never been apart other then crappy cork valve covers leaking.


i never rubbed any oil or sprayed any type of grease on a piston.

 

Right, not using good lube habits on an engine build will only give you an oil burner - if you're lucky. My first car engine rebuild - a Chevy 283, started squealing when it didn't fire right off; turned out the carb was messed up and flooded the engine; the squealing was all the oil washed off the rings/cylinders. Fixed the carb, poured about half a quart of oil down the carb, and poured the rest in as it started; no more problems. Dry rings won't hold enough compression to start, as I learned. After that, I lubed the rings, piston grooves, and cylinder walls with STP, the stuff that looks and pours like honey, (and made sure the carb was set up right) and never had another problem with a rebuild. I wouldn't trust a spray oil to give an adequate lube for that first start, and wouldn't use grease; some kinds won't really mix in oil, and you'd have little bits of grease that would just be more crud in the engine, collecting carbon and other contaminates that wouldn't flush out with an oil change.

 

I removed the rings this weekend by just walking them off, no ring spreader.
Put them in the cylinder and measured the gaps. It was around .018 and the rings were placed in the proper order.
Used a 3/4 copper coupling and 5/8 spark plug socket to put in the circlips, lubed up the rings and put the piston on the rear rod. cleaned up the cylinder and put some oil in it. Placed it over the bolts and lowered the piston just a bit. Used my fingers and got the rings in pretty easy.
Used 1/2 pvc couplings to temporarily hold it in place while I do the front.
While I was reading instructions etc and taking a break I used some oven cleaner on one of the heads to get a bunch of the carbon build up off. It worked ok, not perfect as if it had been bead blasted but much better then it was.
This weekend was pretty busy so I hope to get more done next weekend.
The gasket kit I got didn't have the cylinder o-ring and the dowel o-ring at the crankcase so I took a trip to harley for those.
Really not a bad job at all!