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piston ring compressor

  • Thread starter Thread starter gearhead13
  • Start date Start date
G

gearhead13

Guest
I am looking for a better solution for compressing my piston rings than a couple of hose clamps. I found this while searching.
Has anyone used or seen this type? Does it open up to be removed? Kind of looks like it does but I dont want to order it and find out it doesnt.
 
THAT ONE, just might work!
It looks like it can come apart after the rings are in the cylinder.
Where do you get them and how small do they get?
Of course, you would need two of them. ;)

Daniel
 
I'm gonna use some thin PVC pipe and a hose clamp for that durn oil ring :o
 
I used my fingers. a lot cheaper than buying something special.
 
7981GS said:
THAT ONE, just might work!
It looks like it can come apart after the rings are in the cylinder.
Where do you get them and how small do they get?
Of course, you would need two of them. ;)

Daniel
Click to expand...
Found them on ebay , Summit and Jegs, about $10 each.
Good for 3" and up bore
 
I used wide zip ties when I did my Kat thou engine last summer. Painless and super cheap.
 
I also use my fingers and/or a stick of some sort, but I've seen a number of people chime in here over the last few years after they damaged a ring (or two) during install so some clamps wouldn't hurt.

When installing the pistons into the cylinder I like to support the cylinder and then rotate the crank, thus pushing the pistons upward and into the cylinder. Trying to carefully drop the cylinder down requires a lot of care to avoid dropping it too fast and pinching a ring.
 
I've heard many people say short lengths of appropriate sized pvc cut so that when fully compressed around the piston the pvc pipe "almost" touches ends. Add a couple zip-ties to squeeze the rings lightly into place (tight=bad) and off you go. With the segment cut out it makes it a lot easier to remove them too.

I bought a ring compressor tool able to compress down sufficient enough to do my GSX, but never tried using it as it is too long and i'd be stuck getting the tool out once the rings are inserted.
 
After trying it by hand and breaking a ring on a GS1100 I tried this and it worked well.

I took some plastic tubs that were about the right size and cut 1.5in wide strips long enough to more than wrap around the piston. Then I greased the inside, wrapped up the pistons and used electrical tape to keep tension. I also put a zip tie around the top and put a few drops of crazy glue on that. This was to stop the plastic sleeve from trying to go up the bore further than the bevel at the bottom.
Then all I had to do was lower the block and the pistons slid right up and the rings went right into the bore with no fuss. Key, I think, was setting up that zip tie at the right depth so that the rings cleared the plastic band right where the taper ended and didn't have a chance to get cockeyed.

/\/\ac
 
mighty13d said:
I used my fingers. a lot cheaper than buying something special.
Click to expand...

Yeah I've found hose clamps to be a pain and it's just easier to use my fingers. Maybe a thin flat-head for a little help if they get stuck. Some lube around the bottom/bevel of the bores really helps.

On trying to replace fingers with tools: I always laugh when I see "caulking tools". Like, what is it - a finger in a blister pack? Please don't tell me it's made by a Sicilian family-owned company from new Jersey!
 
These are the ring compressors that I use and are reasonably easy to remove afterwards with a bit of wiggling 7 jiggling.

TimberForksforFittingCylinders07.jpg



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