Installing pistons-can't get all rings into cylinder

[DaydreamDrifter]

'90 KA24E I am using a dual band ratchet-type ring compressor. I have lubed the rings and compressor with oil and have tried positioning the piston up and down the whole chamber of the compressor but I beleive the OEM "bevel" at the top of the cylinder is allowing the top ring ( #1 ) to expand before it is in fully. I managed to get piston 4 in but no luck with any of the others. Please HELP

[Slipstream]

Are you saying that the cylinders have a ridge still on them? If so, you can just use a ridge reamer and cut the excess material back.

[DaydreamDrifter]

I'm saying from the top of the cylnder it tapers in a little and is give the ring enough space to expand. I'm not talking about the ring ridge inside the cylinder

[Slipstream]

If the cylinders are that tapered, you should consider getting your block honed.

[12Ounce]

I feel your pain!

I recently rebuilt a '93 K24e and know what you are going thru. I finally gave up on the rachet ring compressor ... they just don't build 'em like they use to.

Here's what finally worked for me. I went to a real (not Home Depot or Lowes) plumbers supply shop and bought a roll of good quality THICK WIDE metal pipe hanging strap ... the strap with all the holes in it. I cut a length that was ample to go around the piston plus a few inches. The ends are folded back, doubled over. A round slotted head screw (1/4" x 3"L), plus washers and nut ... gave me a rig that would really tightened up around the pistons and hold the rings deep in the grooves.

Have everything greased up good, line up everything carefully, then quickly pop the piston downward with a rubber hammer ... works bout every time! (I think that small bevel at the top of the cylinder prevents the head gasket being sheared into around the cylinder top. ... as well as a little lead-in for the rings.)

I threw away the store-bought rachet ring compressor and plan to use the pipe strap on all future rebuilds.
Modified by 12Ounce at 7:33 AM 8/12/2007

[matt4pl]

you gotta be quick about it. i've used those compressors on small blocks a lot and only had a problem when the rings got mixed up or when i didn't push down fast enough

[DaydreamDrifter]

So the pistons I have I learned won't work bc they have floating wrist pins with no snap rings grooves. I found pistons for truck KA24E '90-'97 and I figured these would work for my 240 but a machinist told me otherwise. What should I tell the guy off ebay in order to get the correct pistons from him?

I bought wrinkle band compressor that is giving me the same troubles as the other.

Couldn't find any metal strapping wide enough either.

Matt4pl If i did get the top two rings mixed up is there a simple way to distinguish the two apart?

[matt4pl]

the taper on the inside edge might be different, also there should be a dot or some other sort of marking to tell you if its the top or bottom of the ring.