| Author | Message | ||
     Dentfixer |
I've torn down the top end of an old motor to replace the rings. Problem is that the rings are stuck in their grooves. I've soaked the pistons in kerosene for months. The rings came loose on one piston but the other two are still completely stuck. This is an 81 XS 850 triple that I am putting back on the road for a friend. Does anyone know of a good technique for getting rings out of their grooves? The end gaps are so tiny I can't get anything in between them to pry on. Suggestions please? | ||
| Strato9r |
Not that easily done, but I managed the same trick on an XS 650. First, soak the pistons in WD-40 or some other penetrating oil, kerosene is not the best stuff to use. Locate the gaps, and make yourself a little chisel out of an old pin punch or screwdriver, a little narrower than the ring. Then, put the piston into some boiling water, it will expand the aluminum more than the iron ring. Once it's good and hot, lay the piston on some shop rags and lightly tap on the ring face with a flat blade screwdriver and a small hammer, you should be able to get a little movement of the ring into the groove. Once things start moving, squirt a little more WD-40 on it. You should be able to move things around enough to get one end of the gap just a little lower than the other side, at which time you can use your little chisel to try and move the high part of the ring gap away from the other end. With enough patience, it should work just fine. Good Luck! | ||
| Dentfixer |
Sounds like a plan. I didn't think about tapping on the rings like that but that makes a lot of sense. I'll give er a try. | ||
| Strato9r |
One other thing you might try, and it seems to work pretty well on small bolts that have broken off as well; one of those little pencil engravers. The high frequency vibration will let any penetrating oil sink in a lot quicker, and I dont know how many times this trick has worked on those little 1/4 NC bolts that hold the cooling shrouds onto the cylinders of Wisconsin industrial engines. Hope that things work well on your buddy's 850; I helped a guy I used to work with get his running, and it was a really nice bike to ride. They have great brakes, and the exhaust tone is wonderful. You may want to check some of the XS650 websites as well, there are some really easy mods that take care of the spongy front end. A set of tapered roller steering head bearings are a cheap upgrade as well, and worth the effort. | ||
| Bluzm2 |
You might want to try soaking them in Seafoam. It's designed to disolve carbon buildup. | ||
| Dentfixer |
Done! Tapping the rings worked perfectly. Took a little bit of time with one or two that were really "rusted" in there but got them all done in about an hour. Thanks guys! |
