The Hodaka Club Forum

Thank you Vic. I think this topic could be expanded into a Resonator article. My "What's The Secret" question is, How do you remove and replace piston rings without breaking them?

I am rebuilding a 94 Wombat engine. The piston and bore are good. The plan is to run a hone through the cylinder to break the glaze, replace the rings and put it back together. When I removed the old rings from the piston, I broke both of them. When rings were $3.50 it didn't matter as much if you broke one. Today, rings are $35.00. I don't want to break one.

Larry S

Well, from my own experience, it’s been pull the top ring first, opening the ring gap to start moving the ring up around the top of the piston and I then work my way around the top of the piston to bring the ring out of the groove. I do the same with the second ring being careful not to let it drop into the top ring slot. Go slowly and carefully, without putting a lot of outward pressure on the ring so you don’t break it. However, sometimes rings can become brittle from being over heated. Not much you can do about those. If they are brittle they’re likely gonna snap with even the gentlest approach. Victor

I like to slip a thin feeler gauge under one end of the ring gap and slide the ring up as i the rotate the feeler gauge around the piston, like peeling an apple. A brittle ring will break without warning, but this method has worked for me for 50 years. On a 2 ring piston, remove the top ring with the gauge, and then move the bottom one up to the top grove, from there use the gauge and finish removing it.

Larry, After hundreds of ring installations, I can't ever recall breaking a new ring. Old rings have been through a lot in their life from heat cycles and forces of making power. Easy does it, I think you will be alright! Maxie

I like the feeler gauge idea Olddogs! It’s a good way to slide the ring up working around the piston, without putting excessive force on the ring(s)! Thanks for the tip!!! Victor

I keep from letting the ring rotate over top of the alignment pin(s) too.