I'm using the craftsman ring compressor, and I'm still having trouble sliding the piston into the cylinder.

The bottom oil rings seem to pop out of the compressor when I'm taping it in.

BTW: I'm having to do this by myself. My friends dont know **** about this kind of work.

I'm using my left hand to push down onto the top of the compressor to keep it flush the top of the block. But it still pops out. What do I need to do. I cant get the compressor any tighter.

Help greatly apreciated, otherwise my engine will just rot and sit here.

 

The first time I used the craftsman piece, I had the same problem. The oil ring had overlapped itself and it wasn't allowing the retainer rings to be fully compressed. Pull the compressor off and reseat the oil ring in the land, then try again. Once I did that, they all just slid right in.

 

^ do what he say do what he say....

That should work but fyi .... craftsman ring comp. are notoriously crappy... (at least the ones' I've used/seen) generally the bottom flares out a little making it MUCH harder to get them in. However it's usually work-around-able...

I know it won't be popular advice around here but...

any old engine builder would just tell you to hit it harder and faster.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by NonovUrbizniz &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">^ do what he say do what he say....

That should work but fyi .... craftsman ring comp. are notoriously crappy... (at least the ones' I've used/seen) generally the bottom flares out a little making it MUCH harder to get them in. However it's usually work-around-able...

I know it won't be popular advice around here but...

any old engine builder would just tell you to hit it harder and faster.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah, the craftsman one is a POS. I wish I had a ARP ring comrpessor or something better.

I'm gonna try to put them in with one swift blow. Just tapping it so that it'll slide in isn't cutting it. Wish me luck!

 

I bought a ring compressor at advanced auto parts, i dont even rememerb the brand, it was like 12 bucks and was blue.....it worked well, i had that problem once, but i just pulled it out resituated the rings and tried againa nd it worked....

 

with every tap on the top of the piston give the edge of the ring compressor a tap with the hammer as well. make sure it's tighley seated over the cylinder.

so you tape the piston a bit.........then you tap the edges of the ring compressor down to make sure it doesnt move up......press it firmly down onto the block and the piston should pop into the cylinder.

hope this makes some kind of sense.