Ready To Install The Pistons
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,909
Likes: 26
From: Clymer PA
Ready To Install The Pistons
Yes, you heard correctly. My uncle dropped the ring compressor off today. I won't be able to put them in tomorrow because I have work all day and then a basketball game whenever I get home....but Thursday is the target day.
I have also decided that for my engine break-in I will be using the Quadra-Jet that is currently on my 350. I figure that I know for a fact that this carburetor is properly adjusted. I am not sure if the Holley 850(thanks Steve) is adjusted at all so I'll wait until after my engine break-in period to put it on and start tinkering with it.
I can't wait....by the end of this week I should have the complete rotating assembly assembled. :cheers:
I have also decided that for my engine break-in I will be using the Quadra-Jet that is currently on my 350. I figure that I know for a fact that this carburetor is properly adjusted. I am not sure if the Holley 850(thanks Steve) is adjusted at all so I'll wait until after my engine break-in period to put it on and start tinkering with it.
I can't wait....by the end of this week I should have the complete rotating assembly assembled. :cheers:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 6,036
Likes: 2
From: Westfield Indiana
Cruise-In III Veteran
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Cruise-In V Veteran
Re: Ready To Install The Pistons (bence13_33)
:cheers:
Glad to hear that things are moving along. I'm sure you're excited.
Avery
Glad to hear that things are moving along. I'm sure you're excited.
Avery
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
Re: Ready To Install The Pistons (bence13_33)
I think that is great you are building it yourself, will be watching to see how it goes--> Good Luck :D
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,758
Likes: 4
From: Medford, Or
Re: Ready To Install The Pistons (bence13_33)
Excellent! I can almost remember being 19 year old rebuilding my ol' mans 4 cylinder flat head ******* Jeep. I just finished rebuilting my wifes '95 montero. 32 valve, overhead 3.5 V6 nightmare. It had bad guides. I desided to re-ring as well. I worked my butt off on that car, but it all came out great and it runs fantastic. I'm staying away from those ricers, they're too much work. Give me a push rod engine any day.
Dan
Dan
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 4,795
Likes: 1
From: Regina Saskatchewan, Canada.
Re: Ready To Install The Pistons
Bence, is the Rochester carb off of your small block? If it is it will probably be set way too lean for a big block. You definetley don't want to run your fresh engine way lean, she'll get real hot that way. I have heard a rumor that GM controls the fuel mixture to run rich for a thousand miles or so on newer cars to aid in break in. Lean is worse than rich, but some will argue that too rich washes the bores down.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 6,134
Likes: 46
From: Raleigh North Carolina
Re: Ready To Install The Pistons (Stingy74)
Tip...
I haven't been following your project...
If you had the block bored, make sure there is a slight bevel at the top of the cylinder bores.
Without the bevel, you stand a good chance of breaking a ring(s) when you install the pistons. The bevel provides a gradual incline for the rings to ride on as the piston goes down into the bore. Some machine shops have stopped providing this bevel because it costs them time & money to include it in the price of a bore job. A special tool (cone) is used to cut this bevel, but it can be done by hand if you are careful.
Shoot me an email if there is no bevel and if you need instructions.
Please... no comments from the Bubba gallery... I do this work professionally.... no time for pi$$ing contest.
I haven't been following your project...
If you had the block bored, make sure there is a slight bevel at the top of the cylinder bores.
Without the bevel, you stand a good chance of breaking a ring(s) when you install the pistons. The bevel provides a gradual incline for the rings to ride on as the piston goes down into the bore. Some machine shops have stopped providing this bevel because it costs them time & money to include it in the price of a bore job. A special tool (cone) is used to cut this bevel, but it can be done by hand if you are careful.
Shoot me an email if there is no bevel and if you need instructions.
Please... no comments from the Bubba gallery... I do this work professionally.... no time for pi$$ing contest.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,173
Likes: 3,982
From: Connecticut, USA
Re: Ready To Install The Pistons (Tom454)
Hey Tom,
Would a deburring hand tool work for this? You just want to break the edge of the cylinder/deck correct? I'm sure you now the tool I'm talking about,it's got a sharp edged bit that you drag along the edge of metal,parts, castings,etc
Thanks,
Gary
Would a deburring hand tool work for this? You just want to break the edge of the cylinder/deck correct? I'm sure you now the tool I'm talking about,it's got a sharp edged bit that you drag along the edge of metal,parts, castings,etc
Thanks,
Gary
Racer
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 276
Likes: 1
From: Arlington Texas
Re: Ready To Install The Pistons (gtr1999)
Another Tip:
This is a technique I started using years back and found that it simplifies ring installation. It's certainlly not required, just makes gap alignment quicker. Before installing rings I get the GM manual and refer to the ring gap installation/location procedure. I then use a premanent marker (Sharpie) and mark the ring gap location on the top of all pistons for all ring gaps (five) top compression, 2nd compression, oil control rings (2) and the oil ring spacer. It doesn't take long to do this. Handling the pistons usally shifts the gaps around, this provides a quick reference just prior to using the ring compressor.
Just a suggestion. Good luck!
This is a technique I started using years back and found that it simplifies ring installation. It's certainlly not required, just makes gap alignment quicker. Before installing rings I get the GM manual and refer to the ring gap installation/location procedure. I then use a premanent marker (Sharpie) and mark the ring gap location on the top of all pistons for all ring gaps (five) top compression, 2nd compression, oil control rings (2) and the oil ring spacer. It doesn't take long to do this. Handling the pistons usally shifts the gaps around, this provides a quick reference just prior to using the ring compressor.
Just a suggestion. Good luck!
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
Likes: 12
From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Re: Ready To Install The Pistons (bence13_33)
Be sure you cover the rod bolts with plastic hoses. They should be long enough to go on either side of the rod journal. Don't install pistons without protection. Also I use a leaded rubber hammer and use the handle to push rapidly the pistons into the bore while holding tightly the ring compressor against the block deck. When a piston is installed finish that piston off completely by lubricating the cap, of coarse the rod was already lubed with assembly lube and watch how the cap in installed with the chamfer facing out and torque the cap to specs then check it for free play front to back. Then move on to the next.
It help if you have someone guiding the rod into place.
Good luck Shane
It help if you have someone guiding the rod into place.
Good luck Shane
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 6,134
Likes: 46
From: Raleigh North Carolina
Re: Ready To Install The Pistons (gtr1999)
Gary-
You can use whatever works... the idea is to get a sufficient, even bevel to discourage the ring from taking a solid hit by the top of the block when you tap the piston in. All it takes is one little smack, and the ring will crack. You'll never know you did the damage until melt down time.
An angle somewhere between 45 and 60 is okay... the steeper angle will cause you to cut too far down into the bore if you're not careful. Less than 45 will not allow the ring to "ramp" very well. I use an abrasive cone, but you can use a super fine rat-tail file, providing you cut a uniform bevel around the circumference. I shoot for between .025 and .035 width on the face of the bevel.
The other tips are right on the money... it's real easy to get distracted by your tapping and allow the ring compressor to lose its contact with the block... instant disaster. Put your weight on it while tapping. I use a leather hammer to repeatedly tap the band type compressors flush with the block. Just my weight when using the "specific size" tools (non-band type).
You can use whatever works... the idea is to get a sufficient, even bevel to discourage the ring from taking a solid hit by the top of the block when you tap the piston in. All it takes is one little smack, and the ring will crack. You'll never know you did the damage until melt down time.
An angle somewhere between 45 and 60 is okay... the steeper angle will cause you to cut too far down into the bore if you're not careful. Less than 45 will not allow the ring to "ramp" very well. I use an abrasive cone, but you can use a super fine rat-tail file, providing you cut a uniform bevel around the circumference. I shoot for between .025 and .035 width on the face of the bevel.
The other tips are right on the money... it's real easy to get distracted by your tapping and allow the ring compressor to lose its contact with the block... instant disaster. Put your weight on it while tapping. I use a leather hammer to repeatedly tap the band type compressors flush with the block. Just my weight when using the "specific size" tools (non-band type).
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,445
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
Re: Ready To Install The Pistons (Tom454)
The only smart way to do pistons is buy the solid aluminum ring for the bore size. I bought them 10 years ago for the common small block sizes 4.030 4.040 4.060 No dorking around or scuffing the pistons/rings. You just compress the rings a little with one hand and tamp them down the hole with wood end of a hammer. Spray some more wd-40 and get ready for the next one.
When you knock the piston in - I do it with that throw at @ BDC - It's not quite on center for either cylinder. So you do both odd and even number piston on that throw. guide it on with your hand over the crank with the bearing already on the rod. Do both pistons then rotate the block 180 degrees and tighten (not torqued) the rod caps. remember with a squirt of assembly lube first. Then rotate the crank to @ BDC for the next two.
The reason why I do two at a time is. It takes less time and effort. Rotating a block on a motor stand is some times a pain. Also by the time you get 4 new pistons in the block it will start to get hard to rotate the crank. I always have the cam in before to watch the clearances as it's going together.
[Modified by gkull, 9:38 AM 3/7/2002]
When you knock the piston in - I do it with that throw at @ BDC - It's not quite on center for either cylinder. So you do both odd and even number piston on that throw. guide it on with your hand over the crank with the bearing already on the rod. Do both pistons then rotate the block 180 degrees and tighten (not torqued) the rod caps. remember with a squirt of assembly lube first. Then rotate the crank to @ BDC for the next two.
The reason why I do two at a time is. It takes less time and effort. Rotating a block on a motor stand is some times a pain. Also by the time you get 4 new pistons in the block it will start to get hard to rotate the crank. I always have the cam in before to watch the clearances as it's going together.
[Modified by gkull, 9:38 AM 3/7/2002]
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 1,355
Likes: 0
From: Germantown Maryland
Re: Ready To Install The Pistons (Stingy74)
Bence, is the Rochester carb off of your small block? If it is it will probably be set way too lean for a big block. You definetley don't want to run your fresh engine way lean, she'll get real hot that way. I have heard a rumor that GM controls the fuel mixture to run rich for a thousand miles or so on newer cars to aid in break in. Lean is worse than rich, but some will argue that too rich washes the bores down.
Bence, Don't run that beautiful new BB lean during break in. The Qjet most probably isn't setup right for your BB. :nonod:
:flag
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 6,134
Likes: 46
From: Raleigh North Carolina
Re: Ready To Install The Pistons (Clink69)
I agree with gkull on the tools... but for someone who is only going to do 1 or 2 engines at most, those specific sized goodies are pricey. A nice compromise is the tapered adjustable aluminum tool as sold by Jegs or Summit. You adjust it once for your bore size and do all eight holes. For a single engine though, a ring compressor will suffice. As gkull hinted... you will have to spend time "dorking" around with it though to avoid breaking rings etc. I have a selection of all 3 types... and I use all of them depending on the situation.
I suspect bence is not going to go into the engine rebuilding business and probably won't be building as many engines as some of the other gearheads on here... so he will have to dork his block with the ring compressor he already has. They work okay as long as you are careful.
I suspect bence is not going to go into the engine rebuilding business and probably won't be building as many engines as some of the other gearheads on here... so he will have to dork his block with the ring compressor he already has. They work okay as long as you are careful.
