Piston installation

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I have checked the bore, gapped the rings, fit modern oil control rings, staggered the ring gaps and have installed the pistons.

The above is pretty generic, but there is an issue with compressing the rings and that is the step at the top of the bore.

You need to have the ring compressor sit on the bottom land of this step, otherwise the rings will hang up on the step.

You need to use a compressor without the little tangs that keep the compressor from going down the bore. If your compressor has them, then they won’t allow the compressor to sit on the step and you may break the rings if you are not careful.

Look for a compressor without those tangs and make sure it bottoms out on the step. I tapped it with a hammer to be sure it was all the way down.

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<p style=”text-align: left;”>I am interested that your engine also has the rebated step. On mine I didn’t know if that was something cut in by an earlier rebuilder to keep the rings from hanging in the usual wear lip to get them out or put in at the factory originally for the same reason.</p>
 

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Jim,

My ’33 and ’35 blocks, both have the step machined in them. Both were standard bores.

Bill

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