Thoughts on reusing pistons and rings

RGMartin

Well-known Member
I have a set of pistons/rings here that have under an hours running time on them before the engine scattered(previous owner rebuilt, and a rod bolt broke shortly there after). Would any hesitate to use them??? I put them on the shelf for a rainy day when I might be able to use them. That day is here.

New rings needed??? Will be on fresh bores.

Thoughts... I have never installed used pistons before in a rebuild, but they aren't really used...
 
I'd use the pistons for sure, rings not sure. You'd hate to have to
tear it down again over $100 or so worth of rings
 
Simple test on the rings is to install them in the bore & measure end gap. A minimum & maximum gap should be in the engine specs.
 
Rich,
Like John said, check the fit. If good use them. To quickly seat them, hold a teaspoon of borax in front of the intake manifold and let it feed into the engine slowley while running about 1/3 throttle. ( an old trick, taught me by a well respected Case Service rep.) We had problems with new tractors sold in fall that went onto manure spreaders for the winter. (never got warmed up, and never worked. They glazzed the cylinders.) The Borax deglazzed the cylinders and seated the rings.
Loren
 
I used to do mechanic work for the gas company on the large stationary engine-compressors in the stations, I have tore many engines apart trying to find a knock or the source of a misfire and pulled lots of pistons and stuffed them right back in after making sure no rings were broken and never had a problem. But those were slow speed very large engines.
 
Years ago I acquired a little tractor with a little different shade of orange. It needed bottom end engine work more than anything. The old pistons and sleeves looked good, so I put them back in with new rings. It still runs fine.
(I sneeked in to greet Loren and John)!
 
never heard of using borax, you sure you don't mean Bon-Ami? I wouldn't introduce any abrasives into an engine unless needed, a honed cross hatch pattern ought to allow the rings to seat without it
 
Thanks for all the thoughts. They were out of a fresh .040" over bore. Looks like the block I am doing will clean at .040" too. I guess so long as the gaps are in spec I will try it. Worst case I am out a $25 head gasket to save $75 worth of rings.
 
Doug,
Point well taken on cylinders freshly rebored and crosshatched. I'm sure you know how much damage can be caused in a new or fresh engine, if it was religated to spreader duty in the fall and never allowed to really get up to temp. and never really worked. Complaints usually ocured in spring, when the tractors were hooked to tillage equipment, and didn't have the power they had when sold. Yes Borax was an abraisive, and it cut the glaze on cylinders and rings. A teaspoon full, normally did the job, in 188s, 267s and 301s
Loren
 
I bought a 2-105 White some years ago that had a recent oh, it was ran on jd plus 50 oil from the start and it was an oil user, I always wanted to give it some Bon-Ami but was scared to.
 

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