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Like the title indicates I am looking for piston ring installation advice. I have no problem buying the tool if that is the best option but I can not find clear info as to what the best option is. Doing research for every one that says "walk them on, I broke one with the tool" I find some one who says "always use the tool or you will damage the rings." Looking for some real world experience.
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Walk the oil rings on. Use an expander on top two.
The tool is like $10. Why not?
Walking the top two rings on can easily result in the ends of the rings getting bent.
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When I was younger I had a set of thumb nails that could pry open any set of rings, these days I settle for a ring tool.
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I walked'm on because I din'unt have a ring put'r on'er tool butt......ring install tool is the best way.
6s6
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use the tool. Sometimes on the compression rings when walking the end of the ring on the last 1/2 inch to seat the rings, you can easily scratch a groove down the side of the piston that provides a passage for flame front to burn the piston over time.
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You haven’t made any?😁
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Nos681 wrote:
You haven’t made any?😁
Post of the day!
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Every set of ring instructions I've read will tell you to use the tool. You have to walk on the oil rings, but they are flexible. The 2nd and compression rings are not. Trying to walk them on is a good way to break them. Counterintuitively the higher performance the ring set is the more likely it is they will break trying to walk them on.
Speaking of rings, since this will be the next question, buy a tapered ring compressor. The ratcheting universal, one size fits all compressors are junk that will also cause you to break a ring. The worst part is you won't know the ring is broken. Using a tapered ring compressor you can literally push the pistons into the bores with two fingers. I bought a Summit 4.030" tapered compressor over 15 years ago and have used it on three engine builds, and on both Fords and Chevys. The idea that it only fits one size is a weakness is therefore not really all that well founded. Also, they aren't expensive compared to the damage they save you.
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MS wrote:
The tool is like $10. Why not?
I have no problems paying for the tool, even if it was way more than $10. I had just seen multiple youtube videos, a couple of which were actual machine shops, and they said not to use the tool because they had broken rings using one.
TKOPerformance wrote:
Speaking of rings, since this will be the next question, buy a tapered ring compressor. The ratcheting universal, one size fits all compressors are junk that will also cause you to break a ring. The worst part is you won't know the ring is broken. Using a tapered ring compressor you can literally push the pistons into the bores with two fingers.
I have one of the ratcheting sleeve type and did not know that a tapered install tool existed. I went to amazon and they had an adjustable one that is good from 3.9" to 4.050" Will let you know how it works.
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UPDATE
I walked the oil rings on and purchased the tool for the compression rings however I found I had better control expending them by hand rather than using the tool so thats what I did on most of them. (probably operator error on the tool issue)
The ring compressor I purchased from amazon worked well AFTER I had it adjusted properly which took a couple of piston installs before I had it dialed in properly. I can see where the specific over bore sized ones would work better if you were doing the same size all the time.
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