I've been looking for a piston ring compressor (PRC) to put my 87 pistons back in the block. Many of the sources I've read, steer you away from the ribbon style PRC, which leaves things like the Proform adjustable PRCs, or the billet fixed width PRCs. Issue is that none of these seem to fit our pistons. I haven't seen Billet units in 100mm diameters, and the smallest proform model I've seen is 4", while 100mm = 3.93" Maybe you can get it a bit smaller, but I dont really want to wing it on this step.

So, I'm wondering what type of PRC others have used to install pistons + rings in their engines.

Thanks!

 

Hazet makes the best one I've ever tried. They are not cheap! Probably tough to justify for one engine assembly.....until you break a ring and ruin a bore! I've had mine for over 30 years.

 

I got my ARP from Summit.

Not in stock, but lots of metric sizes.

 

95.50mm is largest metric size I can find.

 

I have done lots of automotive small and big blocks.
Look in the phone book for mac tool dealers and phone them. it should not be that expensive. Most of your automotive stores will have this style which is what I have and It will do from your motor bike to a diesel truck piston

 

That's the one we try to avoid.

 

This what I use. Not the best, not the worst, but it gets the job done and fits anything. The best tools do not make the mechanic. The mechanic makes suitable tools work.

 

Why?

 

That is a nice compressor, but like you say a bit steep for a one off use. If it is the one I think, pelican had a thread with a few pics: http://forums.pelicanparts.com/911-e...-794u-3-a.html

I've had the same issue. Sometime back, I thought I came across a 100mm unit, but I've not been able to find it since.

From what I've read, the ribbon style compressors have a habit of breaking rings more than others. Frankly, I don't see why they would if you were careful. Had I not been steered away from them I'd have gone with one. I did however find this: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SME-90A3900/it

With a range of 3.9" - 4.05", it looks like it might fit the 100mm / 3.93" cylinders. $28.95 + shipping.

 

You have to know what your doing with the ribbon style PRC, I used mine many times with no problems. I borrowed it to someone to put their 4.7 short block back together and they broke a ring on the first try (two people trying to put one piston in the bore). If you pay attention to the details you should be fine using the ribbon style ones...

and one more thing, I bought one of summits PRC and did not like the quality, so I returned it, also bought a kit that comes with a special pliers from snapon and the quality was bad, so I returned that one too. Try ARP or Wiseco.

http://www.wiseco.com/PDFs/Wiseco-CompressorSleeves.pdf

http://www.jegs.com/p/ARP/ARP-Ring-C...47505/10002/-1

Ali

 

Thanks for the feed back on the Summit PRC, as well as the links...Wiseco lists a 100mm tapered version which should do the trick here, assuming a 100mm bore.

 

You should not feel the slightest resistance when pressing the pistons in their bores, lightly tap on the top of the pistons and they should slid in, make sure the base of your tool is flush with the top surface of the cylinder wall. Also make sure the rod journal on the crank is on the correct position so that once you push the piston and rod in,,,, the rod bearing joins the crank perfectly instead of the rod bolt hitting the crank and damaging it. make sure you oil the piston rings and the inside if the PRC.

Let us know if you have any problems.

 

I've put engines together without ANY ring compressor. If you take your time and pay attention, an optical screwdriver (very small flatead) is all you need.

 

Factory uses solid fits one size only tools instead of any adjustable version. This is probably due to convenience more than anything else but I think chances of messing things up is smaller also. Wiseco's are $30 each so its cheap insurance. I have used 75-125mm adjustable version on several engine builds without destroying anything yet. Just don't like it at all.

 

I used the adjustable one, it was a bit of a pain, but with patience, I managed to put back the GTS engine together without a hickup. I am more worried about breaking a piston ring while I am putting it back in the groves on my GT and Euro S2 motors...