Installing Piston rings in an in-line 4

[The Buddha]

OK tell me guys... do I do it with a ring compressor... and if so those rings compressors seem awfully tall... and I dont have the room... as the pistons sit on the rods.... or do I have to take it off the rods and stuff it in the bore... which I can, but then its going to be near impossible to get the pins back in...
Cool.
Srinath.

[cernunos]

Well, after you get the pistons in the bores you just push each one (one at a time) onto it's rod and put it's other circlip on. You would already have one circlip in each piston. I you do it that way it's not too hard. Helps to have a third hand though. Love the baby G and the forum.

C.......

[JamesG]

I've never used one, I think they are for big ass car engine with equally big assed piston rings.

The way I seated them was to turn the crank so that all the pistons are at as close to the same height. Start the cylinders down over them, lining them up and compressing each separate ring at a time and work the cylinder down until all the pistons are all the way in thier bores.

[The Buddha]

OK the pistons and rings get installed in the bores, and pushed down 1 at a time... say starting with #1... and I should have the left clip in each... and set the rods at equal heights ... as rod 1 gets pin put in from the right of bike as I am sitting on it then I install its right clip... and then push down the second one install its pin and clip, then #3 and then #4... I catually dont need a second set of hands I need a block of wood or somehitng... the damn pistons and cylinders are heavy so what I need is a piston pin puller... and reverse that to install... in that tight cramped space... OK I should be able to break it quite fine then ...
Cool.
Srinath.

[cernunos]

Yah, that'll work. Srinath, do you ever stop workin' on stuff, experimentin' and doin' all that magic and just stop and breathe the air and look at the sky and the trees? You should be runnin' a race team somewhere. Love the little bike and the forum.

C.......

[The Buddha]

Refer to post titled..."Busier than a one handed man at an ass scratching contest"... BTW these speciality crap isn't easy to locate in my poodunk town... so If I want to fix it this year... I'd have to buy tools now... and Its a early winter/ late fall project... though I might assemble the motor before it gets cold... Full bike gets fitted - definetely winter.
Cool.
Srinath.

[cernunos]

I still bet it's gonna be a screamer ...too scary for me to ride :lol: ...Love the GS500 and the forum.

C.......

[JamesG]

You are making it harder than need be.

Leave the pistons on the conrods. Get the pistons about mid-stroke so they are only at slightly different heights. Start the cylinders down the studs. As the base of the cylinder gets to the highest piston, turn and hold each one so it starts up into the bore down to the first ring. Because they are at different heights, you only have to fuss with one at a time. Once you have all of them started you can let the block rest on the pistons slightly while you concentrate on holding it still and getting the rings up in there.
Repeat the process with each of the rings, squeezing them so that the piston slides up into the bore. Eventually you will have all of them in there and you can just slide the cylinder down against the case.

Easy as pie.

[Blueknyt]

ive used hose clamps around split vegtable cans as ring compressors. just find the right size, cut out top and bottom and split it up oneside, slip over rings, put hose clamp around can making sure the split overlaps. tightn the clamp just enough to compress the rings but not locking the piston.

[The Buddha]

OK that's the wackiest... of course the guy at northern tool told me to use metal strapping tape... But here is what I am thinking... I will get a couple of volunteers... set 4 pistons to same height and have them compress the rings by hand... 2 per person... and when they are all right and lined up I'll just drop the cylinder block on it... will it work... no...
Cool.
Srinath.

[The Buddha]

I still bet it's gonna be a screamer ...too scary for me to ride :lol: ...Love the GS500 and the forum.

C.......

Not even close... The head I have has intake valves sinking into the head... evidently its a kawasaki feature for these motors... WTF.... how do concourses make 100,000 miles+ seen one with 152K, and another with 88K,  and they have the same head... BTW the 90's concourses evidently had the intakes made out of a little better material... now I have the theory, that rich jetting prevents further damage, and I have 2 eli 100's dependent on that theory... and in fact this eli is the most questionable of the lot... so I am making a quick and dirty job on this, making sure it works then I pull it off and do a good rebuild with new valves, guides, seats etc... so maybe after 3-4K miles it might be proven enough to do it... till then its going to be a POS...
Cool.
Srinath.

[The Buddha]

What are teflon wrist pin buttons...
Cool.
Srinath.

[The Buddha]

Ok here is an update... I have to install the pistons on the rods first... any other way it wont work... cos the oil ring is faaar too close to the pin... also the piston seems to slide side to sde on the pins... all 4 of them do that... is that supposed to be that way ... anyway I have to get a "take apart piston ring installer"... only way.
Cool.
Srinath.

[cernunos]

Ok, teflon wrist-pin buttons are same as aluminum buttons...both do the same thing, take the place of the wrist-pin clips. They're usually used where the oil ring(s) land is too close to the wrist-pin. I wouldn't think you would need them on a stock pin-height motor. As far as the pins sliding back and forth, the optimum is for there to be no end-play, at least it's that way on small and big block chevy motors. I've built several HD motors that had excessive end-play and didn't have any problems, but if the pins start ramming back and forth they can and have knocked out a pin clip. If you use the buttons you don't have to worry about it because they would have no-where to go. As far as putting pistons in, as JamesG said, if you put 'em all on the rods and then put the jug-set on, you shouldn't need a compressor because there should be enough of a taper to compress the rings by hand. BTW, if you go with the clips vs buttons I would recommend using spiralox instead of c-clips. More reliable as far as staying in place. Lovin' that little G and the forum.

C.......