Need help Inserting piston circlip

[TrentMember]

I’ve heard that you can get a tool for this but I’m the tool for this adventure.

Can anyone give me any tips or does anyone in the newcastle area have the tool? I can’t even get the 1st one in let alone the 2nd with the piston installed!

[GregMember]

Special tool eh never heard of one but that means nothing at all.

I use a jewelers screw driver and just start one side and flick / lever the other side in

Sorry doesn’t read very informative does it (sorry admin)

TB

[Jeffrey SmithMember]

You need some circlip pliers, I don’t have any but they are not that expensive, you just need to make sure you get the right size as they come in different sizes fit into the holes, I think there may be internal external types for the internal and external circlips

[drewMember]

could you use a pair of cir clip pliers?

i know they’d have to be a smaller sized pair. :unsure:

EDIT>> Yep Jeffro, the ones you get now have 2 holes in ’em so 1 pair can be swapped over to be used as internal or external, an average to good pair are around the $35 mark, well out here anyway.

[GregMember]

Jeffro I think the circlips are like the picture not the type that have the holes for circlip pliers

TB

[Jeffrey SmithMember]

My bad

[TrentMember]

False alarm! The 1st one was a lot harder for me because I didn’t put the dowel insert in and it the clip was going past the retainer slot but with the 2nd one I just used the removal slot to get a start and then it went in easy!

Now to fiddle around with some cable ties to pull the rings in!

[TrentMember]

You guys are fast! TB was right about the clip type. I will probably need some circlip pliers for the water pump though.

Cheers for the help.

[Anonymous]

Interesting, there must be a technique, a 2 stroke bloke must surely have some nuggets of wisdom?

As others have said circlip pliers are no good for piston rings as they don’t have the lugs and holes to use them. I could do with a set for the exhaust on the little 200 though…..

So you’ve replaced the whole piston and rings now Austblue? Sounds a bit serious, I thought the problem was the waterpump seal?

[GregMember]

Moto wrote:

Quote:

As other have said circlip pliers are no good for piston rings s they don’t have the lugs and hiles to use them. I could do with a set for the exhaust on the little 200 though…..

Moto we arent talking about the piston rings mate :laugh: we are talking about the circlips that retain the piston pin :laugh:

The cable ties are to compress the rings into the bore but AB there should be enough of a taper to but the rings in through the bottom of the bore I would have thought if you are careful without the cable ties

TB

[Anonymous]

Here you go for future reference:

Cut and pasted after I made a mistake :laugh:

[TrentMember]

I just realised I’ve taken things slightly out of order according to the manual. I’ve mounted the piston on the conrod before sliding the cylinder over it. I think I should be right but if not I’ll have to take the piston back off and do it again.

Quick question – if the retaining clip gap is at 730 on the clock face is that ok? The starter slot is at about 430 and the manual says the gap should be at 12 or 6 but not sure how conservative they are.

Moto, I’ll post in the other thread mate

[Bruce CurtisMember]

Ok Austblue, contrary to Motos post try not to chamfer the ends of the clips, a huge percentage of topend failures is caused by circlips coming loose, makes a huge mess of your barrel.

Always push the open ends of the circlips to either 6.30 or 12.00 positions, you can push them around once in the circlip groove, a little oil here helps.

Whatever technique of build you use always preoil the wrist pin and bearing

Put one circlip on before fitting the piston to the rod, I use the old wrist pin to ensure the circlips are secure and seated.

Fitting the piston before the barrel is the perferred option, then push the piston to BDC and slide barrel over the rings.

Be careful snagging the rings, phone a friend if this is your first time, the bottom edge of the barrel is chamfered to allow easier fitment, always check the rings open ends are sitting over the pins as you slip the barrel on.

Ring end gap is best done suing an old piston to square the new rings in the barrel.

Some blokes recommend a “dry” build, not me I always coat everything with a lite coating of 2T oil and have never had an issue yet.

BC

[TrentMember]

OOOOOOOKKKKKKKKKKK…………………. So maybe I should’ve asked for tips before I started! I took the piston back off and put the cylinder over the piston by using the tapered edge my fingers. Once I had it on I just lightly tapped it with the hammer handle to slide it up as even as possible.

Now that I’ve read Blue’s post I have a couple of other concerns. I didn’t check the ring end gap accurately at all. All I did was insert the ring into the cylinder and got it roughly level then measured 0.3mm for the gap on the compression ring. For the oil rings I just checked that they didn’t overlap. Should I take it back out and check it more accurately? What do I do if the gap isn’t correct?

I also didn’t line the gaps up with the pins. I assume this is done to prevent the ring ends from scratching the cylinder?

Here I was sitting on the couch eating dinner thinking I’d done well

[TrentMember]

As long as Admin doesn’t mind then I happy for a bit of light humour in here haha.

I’m in the dog house for spending too long down there and not cooking the bbq earlier so didn’t get finished

WRT the end gap if its safer to take it back apart and check the gap I will and I can confirm that I didn’t score the cylinder while I’m at it. If not I’m due to put the head back on tomorrow and get my new torque wrench spinning!

I’m not in too much of a rush as I’m waiting for my water pump seal to come in before I can finish for the weekend’s ride. I’m thinking about how I can “run it in” without getting pinched by the fluff too! Maybe with daylight savings I can duck over to west wallsend friday arvo.

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