Cylinder Prep to install Pistons?

This is what I do but there are a myriad of ways to assemble an engine and still have an engine that not only simply cranks and runs but lasts for many miles. This is written for those who have the machine work performed elsewhere but are assembling the engines themselves. Feel free to shoot holes in any of this or add to it.

I am assuming the cylinder wall finish (hone) is correct for the rings that you are using. Before installing the rings on the pistons, the ring end gaps do need to be checked to ensure that they are adequate. Too little gap can be problematic when the engine heats up. Too much is indicative of the wrong rings or some other issues.

While the rings are off the pistons, this would be a good time to check the piston to bore clearance by inserting the pistons upside down in their respective bores and using a feeler gauge between the pistons and the bores to determine what the actual clearance is. Too little clearance here is also going to pose problems when the engine heats up. If you have snap gauges and micrometers to measure this, then all the better. In the grand scheme of things, piston to bore measurements should have already been taken care of long before getting ready to install them. But if the boring/honing was done elsewhere, this is worth checking just to give some peace of mind.

I use a ring installing tool to place the rings on the pistons. Putting the rings on without a specific tool for this can impart a twist in the rings which can be problem when the rings try to seat to the cylinders.

Prior to installing the pistons in their bores, I will clean the cylinders thoroughly with Brake Kleen or other suitable cleaning fluid. I will then coat the cylinders with 0 weight oil and likewise use the same oil on the rings and skirts on the pistons. I will not dunk the pistons in oil but instead will lightly coat the rings so that they simply have a film of oil on them and rotate freely in their grooves. Position the top two rings so that the gaps are 180° apart from each other.

Oil rings can be tricky when installing into the bores. You want to make sure that the expander portion of the oil rings does not slip and overlap its ends during the installation process. If a piston feels extremely tight while being pushed down into the bore, this might be a good time to remove the piston and make sure the rings are still properly positioned on the pistons.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Author	Message
oldcarmark	Posted Last Month
Supercharged Group: Forum Members Last Active: Yesterday Posts: 3.7K, Visits: 33.0K	Ready to install Pistons. What Cylinder Prep do You guys use. Just wipe Cylinders with Oil Film or dunk Pistons in Oil or? Thanks!
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Ted	Posted Last Month
Co-Administrator Group: Administrators Last Active: 4 days ago Posts: 7.6K, Visits: 206.0K	This is what I do but there are a myriad of ways to assemble an engine and still have an engine that not only simply cranks and runs but lasts for many miles. This is written for those who have the machine work performed elsewhere but are assembling the engines themselves. Feel free to shoot holes in any of this or add to it. I am assuming the cylinder wall finish (hone) is correct for the rings that you are using. Before installing the rings on the pistons, the ring end gaps do need to be checked to ensure that they are adequate. Too little gap can be problematic when the engine heats up. Too much is indicative of the wrong rings or some other issues. While the rings are off the pistons, this would be a good time to check the piston to bore clearance by inserting the pistons upside down in their respective bores and using a feeler gauge between the pistons and the bores to determine what the actual clearance is. Too little clearance here is also going to pose problems when the engine heats up. If you have snap gauges and micrometers to measure this, then all the better. In the grand scheme of things, piston to bore measurements should have already been taken care of long before getting ready to install them. But if the boring/honing was done elsewhere, this is worth checking just to give some peace of mind. I use a ring installing tool to place the rings on the pistons. Putting the rings on without a specific tool for this can impart a twist in the rings which can be problem when the rings try to seat to the cylinders. Prior to installing the pistons in their bores, I will clean the cylinders thoroughly with Brake Kleen or other suitable cleaning fluid. I will then coat the cylinders with 0 weight oil and likewise use the same oil on the rings and skirts on the pistons. I will not dunk the pistons in oil but instead will lightly coat the rings so that they simply have a film of oil on them and rotate freely in their grooves. Position the top two rings so that the gaps are 180° apart from each other. Oil rings can be tricky when installing into the bores. You want to make sure that the expander portion of the oil rings does not slip and overlap its ends during the installation process. If a piston feels extremely tight while being pushed down into the bore, this might be a good time to remove the piston and make sure the rings are still properly positioned on the pistons. Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)
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oldcarmark	Posted Last Month
Supercharged Group: Forum Members Last Active: Yesterday Posts: 3.7K, Visits: 33.0K	Thank You Ted. Great Information.
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Cylinder Prep to install Pistons?

Cylinder Prep to install Pistons?

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