new rings - installing cylinder head - need help

[rippledub]

Ok, I'm kind of a silent one, I don't post much, but have been doing a lot of reading. I am rebuilding my top end and thanks to all of the past posts I think I have a pretty good grasp of what I am doing . . . considering I have never done this before. I will just take a moment here to thank everyone who has helped me already, including Ray sending me some shims, and Vince for the instrument cluster.

I am getting ready to put it all back together, and I have been searching past posts, but I am not totally clear on getting the head installed over the pistons. Are there any good videos, either here or on youtube that show this being done? I catch a lot of nuances from seeing it done which are harder to understand from hearing about it.

A local shop recommended I install the pistons(with rings) into the sleeves and then put the head onto the engine, then starting with #2 and #3 put the wrist pins on, rotate and then install wrist pins into #1 and #4. But from what I can tell from reading posts here, it seems like most of you install the pistons/wrist pins and then slide the head down onto them. Which way should I be going about this? I have 1 piston ring clamp and will be doing this without any assistance.

I appreciate any suggestions and guidance!

[cowboyup3371]

Howdy. Yes, put your rings and piston pins on first for all four pistons. Make a block that will prevent the 2nd and 3rd pistons from falling into the crankcase and then start the head down those two using your hands to squeeze the rings together. Once you are past the first rings then rotate the engine enough to start pistons 1 and 4.

At least, that's what I've been shown and told. I'll be actually doing it myself in the next two weeks once I receive some new orings for my cylinders.

[Agemax]

just make sure you have the base gasket and any o rings fitted before you attempt to drop the block over the pistons. you will kick yourself very hard if you get all the pistons located then find you have to pull it off again because you forgot something.

[mike_of_bbg]

Yes, pistons/rings/wrist pins on first. Like Cowboy said, fix yourself a couple of blocks of wood. Mine were 1x4s, about 5" long, with a 1Wx4L" slot down the middle for the connecting rods (sort of like a square "U"). The middle pistons go in first. They'll come down on those blocks and will be held straight. You can try to use big hose clamps as ring compressors (because you can take them completely apart and slip them out), but I didn't have much luck with that. Popsicle sticks used selectively to compress where rings might stick on the bevels worked better for me. Lube the bottoms of the cylinders well.

I've done this on my own (granted, on a 550), but it really does help to have two people.

[Dogma]

You can use large hose clamps to compress the rings. Make the clamp just snug to the piston, then back off a little so it doesn't grip the piston.

The blocks Cowboyup mentions are popular, but I didn't have good luck with them. I like to put the bike in gear and block the wheel.

Most important is to be patient. It is a frustrating and awkward process until you get the hang of it. The pistons will try to go into the bores crooked and jam. Don't let them. The weight of the cylinders won't be enough to force the rings into the bores. You can pound on the top of the cylinders with your hand, but it shouldn't take much. If it's not going, back up and start over. Piston rings are brittle, and surprisingly easy to break in this process when they aren't compressed into the cylinders evenly. That's why I like to use the hose clamps.

[5azzmonkey]

I just used my hands to compress the rings when I did mine. I did have a second person supporting the jugs while I worked the rings in though.

-Dave

[DimitriT]

Get another pair of hands to help compress the rings while you lower the head down.
Getting the head over those rings is tricky (at least on the 550) and its easy to bend a
ring or damage the ring seats.

[chef1366]

Cylinders? Jugs? Head?
I usually put the cylinders on first.

[5azzmonkey]

Cylinders? Jugs? Head?
I usually put the cylinders on first.

I should have said jugs not head ... I will fix my typo .....

-Dave

[Maddevill]

And...

...remember to have the ring end gaps staggered.

[rippledub]

Ok, so it sounds like I could just return the piston ring clamp I bought, seems like no one uses them! I was thinking it was just going to get in the way anyhow.

Thanks for all the advice, and thanks for the reminders about gaskets, seals, o-rings, ring gap spacing, etc . . . It certainly does not sound like I would want to do all this twice!

Time to lap, hone, clean, lube, and give myself all day tomorrow to scream and curse the piston ring gods . . . or should I just start praying?

Thanks everyone! I'll let you know how it goes.

P.S. If anyone else has any ideas to add I'll keep checking in.

[duaneage]

The bottom of the cylinders are chamferedto assist installing the rings. I just helped mine in by hand and it went right through.

[gearhead13]

I use 2 hose clamps. You do 2 at a time. Unless you have 4 hands or someone to help you, they might be helpful.

[Big T]

Don't forget the cam chain slider and put a wire on the cam chain and feed that up thru the block to pull the cam chain up

I do the 2 hose clamp, plus block method

Lube and clamp 2&3

start the cylinder block on the studs

Put some wood blocks to hold the cylinder block up

Pull the cam chain up, but loosely

Crank the motor by hand and get 2&3 in the cylinders

Carefully rotate the motor to get 1&4 in place, pull the wood blocks and slide the cylinder down, pulling the cam chain up tightly