Piston ring install issues.

[Supercharged111]

Well I used a small screwdriver, but same difference.

FWIW, I did order just one cylinder worth of rings. I'm done caring about mixing brand names.

As long as they're the same size and material, shouldn't matter.

 

[DeCaff2007]

So.... I seem to be having trouble locating individually sold pistons. Rock Auto sells as a set, as does Summit Racing. Ebay has one but the seller hasn't answered my question. Well, good communication is key in any relationship, including buyer/seller. No answer, no sale.

I *could* just hit up the junkyard and tear apart any 88+ K2500. That will take time, though.

IIRC, one can just drop the front diff and the oil pan will come right off, leaving the pistons ripe for the picking.

 

[RDF1]

If you can pull the pistons out the bottom of a block you sir have some serious skills..

 

[Hipster]

He might need a bigger hammer but he'll get it out the bottom. sorry had to.lol

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[Erik the Awful]

If you were any closer I'd say stop by and pick up a couple. I have a set of seven rods and pistons sitting nicely in a bucket along with two flat-tappet TBI cams.

 

[DeCaff2007]

If you can pull the pistons out the bottom of a block you sir have some serious skills..

No man. Out the top. I didn't think I had to mention that. It's just substantially easier to pull a cylinder head in the yard than it is to drop the diff and oil pan.

 

[DeCaff2007]

I just thought of something... I have a perfectly usable SBC 305ci sitting in my Grand Prix. That's getting LS swapped. So... MAYBE... one of those pistons will fit. It's a long shot, and quite frankly, it's labor that I don't have time for right now.

 

[evilunclegrimace]

I just thought of something... I have a perfectly usable SBC 305ci sitting in my Grand Prix. That's getting LS swapped. So... MAYBE... one of those pistons will fit. It's a long shot, and quite frankly, it's labor that I don't have time for right now.

305 pistons are not the correct size to fit a 350.
305 bore is 3.376? and a 350 is 4.00

 

[DeCaff2007]

305 pistons are not the correct size to fit a 350.
305 bore is 3.376? and a 350 is 4.00

Yep, just googled it.... well crap.

Tomorrow after work. No more excuses. Tools/parts should be here. Time to get hopping on this block.

 

[DeCaff2007]

FOUND THE PROBLEM. I got the new ring compressor with the reverse bevel (which, I might add, is so small that I had to REALLY look for it). I put all the rings on piston number 3 and tried sliding the piston all the way through the compressor before even putting it on the block. It jammed solid halfway through the compressor. The oil control ring is the problem

Everyone see the teeth in the back of the oil control ring here (circled in red):

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The rails that go above and below the oil control ring, in the 3rd groove on the piston, won't fully compress because of these teeth.

Seen here:

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Not sure what to do now. This is a "shallow" oil groove piston, meaning the oil groove measures at .166" as opposed to a "deep" oil groove, which measures at .200. The rails that go in that groove would fit perfect if the oil control ring didn't have those teeth there. I took JUST that oil control ring out and the piston slid in the cylinder like butter.

According to year/make/model/part number, these are the CORRECT piston rings.

Soooo...... what now.....