If you like our site, please consider joining our club!
By joining you will help ensure that we can continue to provide this service
JOIN HERE!

Tips/Tricks - Compressing Piston Rings

Post Reply
User avatar
schrader7032
Posts: 9017
Joined: Fri Oct 27, 2006 3:00 am
Location: San Antonio, TX
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 29 times

Tips/Tricks - Compressing Piston Rings

Post by schrader7032 »

So, I was helping a friend get his R60/2 engine back together and back in the frame. With the engine and transmission in the frame, we began to look at getting the cylinders on. First, we put the wrist pins and pistons on the end of the rods. Then it became time to fit the cylinder. We were unsuccessful at the start...my friend even drew blood on the sharp edge of the rings. He didn't have a ring compressor...I have one buried somewhere but I don't think it goes down this small. We tried using some large/wide zip ties, but there are issues when the cylinder slips over the first ring, now the zip tie is hitting the second ring. It was not really happening.

So after some resting and thinking, we finally got the first cylinder on. But it took his one hand holding/pushing the cylinder and his other hand pushing on one part of the ring and my two hands pushing on a couple of other parts of the ring. Not sure how all that worked, but it eventually slipped on. BTW...I noticed that there's very little "ramp" on the inside of the cylinder walls. Don't know if that's standard on R60/2 cylinders...he had to have the cylinder bored from 2nd to 3rd over (with new pistons) so maybe with that level boring, the "ramp" is gone??

The bad news is that we could only get the left side done and had to call it a day. The reason was that he is missing one of the cylinder base nuts. We found out that you can't drive the cylinder all the way on and then put on the nuts. You have to get the cylinder started, slips the nuts in place when just a few threads of the stud are showing, and then push the cylinder home. He also found that he's missing a few other nuts/bolts so he has to put an order in.

Anyway, we struggled doing the first one. Any tips or things we should get in order to make the right cylinder go easier?

Thanks...
Kurt in S.A.
'78 R100/7 '69 R69S '52 R25/2
Fast. Neat. Average. Friendly. Good. Good.

User avatar
Twocams
Posts: 781
Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2014 8:42 pm

Best advice. I got a ring

Post by Twocams »

Best advice. I got a ring compressor that is about 1.5 in. wide or tall if set on a table. It only needs to be wide enough to get the rings compressed. Make sure it opens up completely when released and cylinder is on. Or you cant get it off the conrod. I have one for car engine rebuilding but it is 4" wide and wont open up. So wont work, dont ya see.
Twocams
92 R100RT/69 R69S
2004 Aprilia Atlantic 500cc single cylinder Scooter
83 Honda V65 Magna, fastest production bike in1983
2015 Can Am Spider SE6 1,688 miles
2018 Moto Guzzi V711 Special

Jim D 5112
Posts: 200
Joined: Fri Oct 27, 2006 3:00 am
Has thanked: 1 time

Rings

Post by Jim D 5112 »

1 -- I have used a regular ring compressor.
2 -- You could also use a hose clamp if it will cover the rings. If it is not wide enough just cut a piece of aluminum or another sheet metal strip. Cut it wide enough to cover the rings and long enough to fit around the piston. Then just wrap it around the piston and use the hose clamp around the outside of it. You could also attach the hose clamp and the strip together with one or two small rivets.

User avatar
Twocams
Posts: 781
Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2014 8:42 pm

Guess you could cobble

Post by Twocams »

Guess you could cobble anything together. But I thought you wanted to look kool while putting the cylinders on. grin
Twocams
92 R100RT/69 R69S
2004 Aprilia Atlantic 500cc single cylinder Scooter
83 Honda V65 Magna, fastest production bike in1983
2015 Can Am Spider SE6 1,688 miles
2018 Moto Guzzi V711 Special

User avatar
schrader7032
Posts: 9017
Joined: Fri Oct 27, 2006 3:00 am
Location: San Antonio, TX
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 29 times

We were able to finish the

Post by schrader7032 »

We were able to finish the other side today. Used the thin sheet metal wrap with a hose clamp on the outside. Had to put a slight bend in the outboard edge of the sheet metal...it was slipping into the cylinder. Took a bit of tapping and pressure, but it finally slipped over the rings. Both sides are buttoned up and valve clearances set.
Kurt in S.A.
'78 R100/7 '69 R69S '52 R25/2
Fast. Neat. Average. Friendly. Good. Good.

strichzwei
Posts: 164
Joined: Thu Sep 20, 2012 11:37 am

Re: Tips/Tricks - Compressing Piston Rings

Post by strichzwei »

These work pretty well and are available in several different diameters.
Scott

http://www.siliconeintakes.com/t-bolt-c ... p-105.html

User avatar
huntmiller
Posts: 79
Joined: Fri Oct 07, 2016 3:19 pm
Location: Fredrick Maryland
Has thanked: 2 times

Re: Tips/Tricks - Compressing Piston Rings

Post by huntmiller »

I like the idea of a band of aluminum with a hose clamp... Even better plastic, nylon or Teflon band instead of aluminum with a hose clamp. Hmm....
Hunt
1965 R69s w/Wixom fairings and bags
1979 R65 w/Siebenrock 860cc, Luftmeister fairing

Post Reply