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Engine Specific Info and Questions => IDI Engine => Topic started by: scoop on October 02, 2008, 09:48:06 pm

Title: Broken piston ring
Post by: scoop on October 02, 2008, 09:48:06 pm

So in my eagerness to show my 9 and 6 year old boys how to put together an engine, I didn't make sure the ring compressor was down to the deck surface and the oil ring popped out and I kept "hammering" the piston thus breaking the oil ring.The ring is toast, or eight pieces of toast, and the piston and top corner of the cylinder hole are a little bunged up. The bungs in question are enough to catch a fingernail on. The question is how bad did I screw up? A few minutes with a fine rounded file and a new ring, or new piston and trip to the machine shop? Ever happen to anyone else?

Title: Broken piston ring
Post by: Vincent Waldon on October 02, 2008, 10:03:21 pm

Happens to everyone at least once... sometimes twice.  :cry:

If you can post pictures of the damage we might be able to render an opinion... in particular, a closeup of the piston would be helpful.

Title: Broken piston ring
Post by: scoop on October 03, 2008, 06:06:09 am

Would've already if 4 year old daughter hadn't killed our nice spendy camera. I realize that you could catch a fingernail on something the thickness of a dime, but these nicks would probably do no more than put a run in the ol' ladies' pantyhose. But they are nicks nonetheless and not smooth shiny metal.

Title: Broken piston ring
Post by: zukgod1 on October 03, 2008, 07:17:22 am

Well one thing you have going for you is the top of the cyl doesnt contact the rings except for when you install the piston. Dang near 1/2" at the top.

The bad part is I'll bet you cracked the ring land on the piston when you broke the ring.

Experiance speaking here.  

(http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w168/zukgod1/Piston.jpg)