Piston ring removal guide for all you DIYers
01-03-2010, 09:15 PM
#1
Piston ring removal guide for all you DIYers
Right I thought I would put up a few hints and tips to do with piston ring removal. Figured this would be handy to a few of you and would have been handy for me a while ago.
Not every one has a piston ring removal/opening tool, these can also be a bit fiddly. I prefer to do as below, some wont but for you guys who haven't done it before I guess it will be handy.
The aim of the game is to remove all rings, the two compression and one oil control ring (looks like two, but is one piece) with out scratching, marking bollocking etcetc your pistons. You then need to thoroughly clean the ring grooves before refitting your nice new rings (the correct way round)
I haven't got any photos of the refitting process, but its essentially the opposite of removal, using the feeler gauges to lever the ring open, using the feeler gauges as rails to push the ring back down to its appropriate groove. HOWEVER it does matter if the new ring snaps, they are very hard, but partly as a result quite brittle, practice putting some old rings back onto the pistons before moving onto the new stuff.
Here we go: pictures slightly lacking, but you'll get the idea.
This is the piston before removing the rings, you will notice the broken rings on the table... more on them later.
Now, pick up the piston, my rods are still on, take three feeler gauges, two thick and one thinner. Push the ring over with your thumb, insert the thin ring and slide it round the back (opposite the ring gap). Now take the two thicker feeler gauges, insert them either side of the thin feeler. Slide them around to the ring gap side and under the sharp edges of the ring ends like so (sorry, start with the top ring and work down to the oil control ring).
Now using the feeler gauges as 'guides' or rails gently slide the ring up over the piston on the feeler gauges (making sure the ring doesn't scratch the piston).
Then with the ring at the top, gently tilt the feeler gauges over, effectively stretching the ring open and over the piston crown, drop the feelers and the ring on the table and have a fag, first ring done
11 more to go.
Here are some photos of the oil control ring
Simple!
Now, remember the broken rings in the first photo? well if you haven't broken any rings (you won't with the above technique btw) drop a couple on the floor/snap them. There make brilliant ring groove cleaners, i used the correct size for the groove first then went round with the thinner ring to really clean them up (use the straight edge, not the nasty sharp end and MIND YOUR FINGERS).
Lots of shit comes out, so make sure you put a cloth over your table, or risk the tongue lashing you are probably long due any way for spending too much time on your car.
Right, then its in the sink with some degreaser, wd40 and a tooth brush... in the oven for a quick dry, and finally they look like this.
Right, when my new rings come i will take some photos of installing new rings, but for now i hope this has helped a few of you who were thinking of rebuilding your lump. Any comments or different methods please bang em up.... the more help we can give people, the more rsts there will be in a few years time.
Cheers
Rob,
Not every one has a piston ring removal/opening tool, these can also be a bit fiddly. I prefer to do as below, some wont but for you guys who haven't done it before I guess it will be handy.
The aim of the game is to remove all rings, the two compression and one oil control ring (looks like two, but is one piece) with out scratching, marking bollocking etcetc your pistons. You then need to thoroughly clean the ring grooves before refitting your nice new rings (the correct way round)
I haven't got any photos of the refitting process, but its essentially the opposite of removal, using the feeler gauges to lever the ring open, using the feeler gauges as rails to push the ring back down to its appropriate groove. HOWEVER it does matter if the new ring snaps, they are very hard, but partly as a result quite brittle, practice putting some old rings back onto the pistons before moving onto the new stuff.
Here we go: pictures slightly lacking, but you'll get the idea.
This is the piston before removing the rings, you will notice the broken rings on the table... more on them later.
Now, pick up the piston, my rods are still on, take three feeler gauges, two thick and one thinner. Push the ring over with your thumb, insert the thin ring and slide it round the back (opposite the ring gap). Now take the two thicker feeler gauges, insert them either side of the thin feeler. Slide them around to the ring gap side and under the sharp edges of the ring ends like so (sorry, start with the top ring and work down to the oil control ring).
Now using the feeler gauges as 'guides' or rails gently slide the ring up over the piston on the feeler gauges (making sure the ring doesn't scratch the piston).
Then with the ring at the top, gently tilt the feeler gauges over, effectively stretching the ring open and over the piston crown, drop the feelers and the ring on the table and have a fag, first ring done
11 more to go. Here are some photos of the oil control ring
Simple!
Now, remember the broken rings in the first photo? well if you haven't broken any rings (you won't with the above technique btw) drop a couple on the floor/snap them. There make brilliant ring groove cleaners, i used the correct size for the groove first then went round with the thinner ring to really clean them up (use the straight edge, not the nasty sharp end and MIND YOUR FINGERS).
Lots of shit comes out, so make sure you put a cloth over your table, or risk the tongue lashing you are probably long due any way for spending too much time on your car.
Right, then its in the sink with some degreaser, wd40 and a tooth brush... in the oven for a quick dry, and finally they look like this.
Right, when my new rings come i will take some photos of installing new rings, but for now i hope this has helped a few of you who were thinking of rebuilding your lump. Any comments or different methods please bang em up.... the more help we can give people, the more rsts there will be in a few years time.
Cheers
Rob,
Last edited by Rob_DOHC; 01-03-2010 at 09:16 PM.
01-03-2010, 09:30 PM
#3
looks cool in the vid lol but i snapped a ring trying that, okay on the top ring tho, always scared of scratching the piston too. Well done on doing it like that with the taller crown mate, were you as smooth as the vid tho lolGood to get a few different methods
Cheers mate
Rob,
Last edited by Rob_DOHC; 01-03-2010 at 09:37 PM.
01-03-2010, 09:32 PM
#5
Too many posts.. I need a life!!
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Lincoln / Notts / Leeds
Posts: 855
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Nice Rob!
I did mine like this..... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVWzGh2VPM4
I did mine like this..... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVWzGh2VPM4
I just used the thumb and 1st finger method, trying not to cut myself!
01-03-2010, 09:41 PM
#7
looks cool in the vid lol but i snapped a ring trying that, okay on the top ring tho, always scared of scratching the piston too. Well done on doing it like that with the taller crown mate, were you as smooth as the vid tho lolGood to get a few different methods
Cheers mate
Rob,
I wasnt quite that smooth no, I was taking my time and being extra careful.... worked perfectly though!
Trending Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
timsrs
Ford Sierra/Sapphire/RS500 Cosworth
22
24-09-2015 08:14 PM
