Reply To: Piston rings

[PM T2]

FWIW I’ve never used a ring compressor on any outboard motor I’ve ever worked on. Not even the Mercs. The bores usually have a chamfer at the base of the cylinder wall. I use it to my advantage to help compress the ring while inserting the piston into the bore(s).  The only tool I use occasionally is a flat screwdriver with some masking tape on the blade tip. Patience, knowing what the ring is trying to do while you’re guiding it toward what you want it to do, and developing a feel for the operation are the main elements. I’ve broken lots of rings getting them off the piston, but never broken one while installing. Hope this helps.

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PM T2

He's livin' in his own private Idaho..... I hope to go out quietly in my sleep, like my grand-dad did..... and not screaming, like the passengers in his car...