Putting cylinders over pistons

[gssuzukixxx]

I have put new rings on my '79 GS850 pistons and now trying to lower the cylinder block onto the pistons. Can anyone offer some insight as to how to do this? I have hose clamps around all the piston rings like ring compressors and I think they will slide in if I can get everything lined up. I am concentrating on the 2 inner pistons but it is very awkward trying to line the 2 pistons up with the bores without disturbing the ring compressors and at the same time turning the back wheel to rotate the engine.

BTW I have the cylinder blocked up with pieces of hose on the 4 corner bolts.

Any ideas?

Thanks
Brian

[Steve]

Why are you turning the back wheel to rotate the engine?

Part of the idea is to keep the engine from turning, so you can slide the cylinders down.

I have tried using hose clamps as compressors and found that they only get in the way. If you try just a little bit, you can block up the center pistons using pieces of wood that are described in one of the manuals I have (can't remember if it's Clymer or Haynes), then slide the cylinders down over them. Remove the wood, the crank will rotate on its own, then line up the outer pistons and slide the cylinders over them.



.

[Nessism]

I like to block up the cylinder with something solid and then rotate the pistons up into the cylinder using a 19mm wrench on the RH end of the crank. Use some soft wood or plastic sticks to poke the rings into the grooves as you rotate the crank up, installing the pistons inside the cylinders.

[blowerbike]

I like to block up the cylinder with something solid and then rotate the pistons up into the cylinder using a 19mm wrench on the RH end of the crank. Use some soft wood or plastic sticks to poke the rings into the grooves as you rotate the crank up, installing the pistons inside the cylinders.

ed,
are you ok?

[gssuzukixxx]

Thanks for your response Steve. Actually I just got it using a method something like you decribe. I supported the pistons using pieces of paint stir stick which seem to be about the right thickness, then lowered the cylinders over the pistons.

There was somewhere on this forum where someone suggested supporting the cylinder block and then rotate the engine so the pistons go up into the cylinders so that is what I was trying on the first go-around. But there must be more details that I do not understand for this method to work.

Thanks again.
Brian

[gssuzukixxx]

Nessism, I was responding while you responded. It was you that supports the cylinders while rotating the engine. I will have to try that again next time.

As far as the hose clamps go, by themselves they are pretty useless because the screw thing does not let it go up into the bevel at the bottom of the cylinder. What I did was to cut the screw thing off of 4 hose clamps and put those things inside 4 other hose clamps sticking up about 1/8" and then tightened them around the rings. So that thing will go all the way up inside the bevel until the ring is safely in the cylinder. It worked.

Thanks guys

[Nessism]

ed,
are you ok?

I work in quality. OK = Good. NG = No Good. Black and white.

I am OK. Thanks for asking.

[Nessism]

ed,
are you ok?

Terry,
I'm a Quality man. OK = Good. NG = No Good. Black and white.

I am OK. Thanks for asking.

[blowerbike]

wow
double post

[blowerbike]

wow
double p0st

[Buffalo Bill]

It takes some time and care…

I just did a ring job on my 550. I can't add much to what's been said here already, but I did have the bike on the centerstand. I got most of my direction from the Clymer manual.
First I rotated the shaft until the center pistons were higher and got those in. Then I rotated the engine back slowly to bring up the end pistons. Those were very finicky and hard to get done. It took two tries because the first time “I used little too much force” and bent a ring.
After waiting two weeks for a new ring, I prepared these strips to help extend up the pistons. After some work and more care than the first try, I got them in. The bike runs great and I got good compression again.
Bill

[gssuzukixxx]

Buffalo,

I think those strips are the answer. Yours are better than the ones I made because they are wider to easily cover all the rings. What did you make those strips out of? I am thinked some of that banding that they use for shipping might work if I could get something about 3/4" wide.

Anyways, I supported all 4 pistons at about the same level and the cylinder block slid onto all of them at once.

Brian

[Buffalo Bill]

Glad it's done!

I supported all 4 pistons at about the same level and the cylinder block slid onto all of them at once.

Brian

That's better than me!
I cut mine from some galvanized sheet steel I had around. I wanted to use soft metal for fear of scratching the aluminum block or pistons.

[Smokinapankake]

When I redid my 82 Katana 1000 motor, I just used wide nylon zip ties as ring compressors. Blocked up the two inside cylinders with short pieces of 2x2 lumber, seated the pistons, then rotated motor/lowered jugs onto the outer two pistons. Worked like a charm and the zip ties just cut off with a pair of dykes after the rings were up into the cylinders.... Whole job only took about a half hour.

At any rate, seems you got it together ok!

[north49]

...to late for the project at hand but maybe usefull to for the next time. Before I installed my cylinder over the pistons, I installed the two outer pistons and rings and inner circ clips into the cylinder while it was on the bench.
Then I lowered the cylinder over the two inner pistons as shown in the manual.
With the two inners installed and supported on the piece of wood, you can gently push down the two outer pistons until the wrist pin hole is visible. Rotate the crank until the rods line up with the wrist pin holes, push in the pins, install the outer clips and it's done.
I used this method 'cause I bent a ring set trying to install the pistons the usual way. It's really difficult to control the two outer pistons without the bottom rings of the two inner pistons coming out of the cylinder.
I found this way, I had a lot more control over what was going on.
Hope it helps.