Inserting pistons into the cylinders, A one & a two...

[KA1J]

Because I'm out of work & not on unemployment and I didn't in any way expect to have these engine issues that have already cost as much as they have. I have to watch every penny and never planned on needing to be with the head much less the cylinders off. I bought the bike late October last year and the earlier owner was not forthcoming about issues all over the bike that I've had to make right. So I have to be more frugal than I like but that's how it is.

Ugh...

[planedick]

Gaskets

Here's a trick you might like then. When putting gaskets on, put a little yamahabond on the surface easiest to scrape if ever necessary, then place gasket in place on the yamabond and spray the other side and the mating surface with pam (no stick cooking aid). Next time you have to remove that cover, the gasket will stay on the surface with yamabond and the other side will release without tearing the gasket so you can use it again.

[crazy steve]

...anerobic adhesive but I'll have read up on the caveats of anerobic as I've never used it before, is there a good brand to look for? Perhaps it's difficult to remove if I'd someday have to crack the case open?

Yamabond, at the dealer, about $10 a tube last time I bought some. Great stuff, widely used (the first time I heard about it, it was on a Harley site!), and doesn't 'weld' the parts on like RTV can. It's pretty runny, so don't expect it to fill any big gaps, but on machined surfaces it's the 'stuff'...

[KA1J]

I've run into a problem (Getting used to that...), the ring compressors I got on loan from Auto Zone do not come apart so there's no way to remove them from the rod. Didn't know that till today when my friend was coming over to help with an extra set of hands.

None of the parts places around here have a compressor that will come apart when done. Remembering what I read above I bought 4 hose clamps the right size but am concerned the wide bulge where the screw mechanism is will prevent me from snugging the rings up evenly to the bottom of the cylinders. Someone mentioned using a soda can, maybe I can cut an aluminum can into a couple of 1" strips and wrap that inside the hose clamp and that will get them up there inside the chamfer/bevel at the bottom of the cylinder?

I also was wondering if putting the pistons in from the top of the cylinders with conventional ring compressors and then pushing them down to the bottom is a good idea, those "Universal" compressors would work that way. Seems like I could push them down till the wrist pin hole is in clean sight at the bottom and then push the wrist pins & clips in place doing 2 & 3 first & 1 & 4 second?

In the front of the service manual it mentions doing 2 & 3 first and there's a tool shown to hold the base of the pistons but I don't know what height that tool needs to be, I read it's aluminum but also read people make it out of wood.

So with all that...

If I use the hose clamp and strip of aluminum can inside to prevent scratching from the hose clamp & to compress higher than the clamp's screw section, what proper height would I need to make those pieces of wood to hold the pistons?

Would it be a better idea to insert the pistons down from the top of the cylinder & then put the wrist pins & keeper clip in or is that a bad idea?

Thanks!

[natemoen]

I didn't use any compressor. I just squeezed the rings with my fingers as needed to slide the cylinders down.

[crazy steve]

Rather than use soda cans, I've had better luck with cutting strips out of 2 liter plastic bottles. Plastic, so it won't scratch anything, and a bit thicker so there's less chance of it going up into the bore (and maybe losing a piece). Not quite as rigid, but two layers works well.

As to removing the wrist pin clips, don't do it. Once removed they should be replaced with new. You don't want to see what happens when one falls out... they don't fit too well between the piston and cylinder wall..

[bikerphil]

+1 on the fingers method. Have a helper, much easier that way, you work on one piston while he works on the other.

[KA1J]

Hmmm Squeezin' with the fingers... I've got fairly strong fingers from close to 50 years of flatpicking guitar but I'm seeing in the mind's eye a partially compressed ring getting caught & something ugly happening. O'course squeezing them in gently might be just the perfect way to get it done.

I had some Hormel Hash for supper & the can is just a tad greater in circumference than that piston & was thinking of using that inside the hose clamp but Steve's idea about using a couple of pieces from a soda bottle inside the hose clamp sounds like a far better idea.

Think at this point I'll cut out a couple of pieces of 2L soda bottle for each of 2 pistons and I'll give a couple practice runs at getting the piston into the cylinder before attaching them tomorrow.

I already removed the pistons, I needed to take them to a machine shop to get their blessing on what they said was a stain but earlier it was strongly suggested to me from this photo that it was a sign of melting piston. There is no irregularity or dimpling in the metal at the points of concern. (Look between ring 1 & 2 at the dimple sort of blemish)



The machine shop looked over all the pistons and said they were fine, no issues at all so now I have to put them in. I know to replace the end clip, I do have 6 new clips for them but one of the clips was left untouched in each piston so I only need 4 new & have two left over. (Had to drive 45 miles into Rhode Island & then another 45 up to Columbia, CT to the Yama dealers to get them & these were all they had).

I remember back in 1969 I was a teen working at a Sears Automotive & a car came back while in warranty after they installed a rebuilt engine in it. It had horrible compression in one cylinder and filled the bay with blue exhaust. They had to pull the head to see what was going on & some mechanic doing the rebuild had forgotten to put the clip in one end of the wrist pin. It wore a perfect square "U" in the cylinder. Never forgot that...

[lakecountrydave]

I don't understand why tyou are having so many issues with the head gasket. Was there an issue with the one that I sent you?

[KA1J]

Hi Dave,

No, not at all, that gasket is wonderful! Right now I'm figuring out how to get the rings into the cylinders, the ring compressors at Autozone & all the other parts places around here have the kind that you can't remove from under the cylinders, they have a permanent loop.

Going to try the finger squeezing method with Plan B using a hose clamp with plastic soda bottle in-between the rings & clamp.

I am wondering though about some self inflicted cam damage I did & just discovered but posted separately about that...

This has... been an adventure...

[lakecountrydave]

Gary,

I thought I might have sent the wrong gasket, or that it was damaged. I just grabbed it stuffed it in the envelope without really looking at it. I can be of no assistance helping you get the rings installed as I have never installed rings on anything in my life. Hence, the reason I had the gasket. I do wish you the best of luck, and can't wait until I hear your back on the road

[KA1J]

Heh, Pretty much up to now it's been the hassles of repairing a bike that was abused before I got it. Now it's; if I can just stop shooting myself in the foot I'll get there...

You were a great help and the other folks who have replied to my many questions have made it possible for me to get this bike in a condition that it will run beautifully once together & it's almost there. It's fun to work on it but I thought I would be riding it 3 months ago...

My 650 Maxim was a piece of cake to restore; new front suspension, total carb rebuild, starter rebuild & putting in roller steering bearings were the worst I had to deal with.

Step by step with an occasional Clinch Mountain Backstep along the way...

[Jamie]

Gary,
Hang in there, I too have run into some "PO" (previous owner) issues since I acquired my XJ. As always, if there's a part or something you need for your bike, don't hesitate to give me a shout, I have a ton of extras laying around, not to mention an extra engine. Good luck

Jamie

[3Phase]

KA1J, the bottom end of the cylinder bores are tapered. You should be able to fit the pistons/rings in their bores without too much trouble even without a piston ring compressor.

[redbone]

just another idea for a ring compressor. plastic zip ties commonly used for banding wires/cable and widely used as handcuffs as well. larger ones can be about 1/4 wide and at least 1mm thick. definitley won't go into bore. your buddy the electrician or phone guy should have some.