reuse a bottom oil ring???

cafebrat
Topic Author
Offline
User
Posts: 82
Thanks: 4

reuse a bottom oil ring???

31 Jan 2016 09:33

Hey guys, i went to put my cylinders on my pistons today and fucked up one of my very bottom oil rings. I still have all eight identical rings that came out. However i dont know which cylinders they each came from, and i know a few cylinders were having blowby and burning some oil. Would it be a bad idea to reuse just one old bottom ring?? Itll cost me $67 (shipping included) to get a new complete ring set for one piston. Talk about an expensive mistake. Just looking for your opinions if you would just swap it out an not worry about it. Thanks in advance.

83 Kawasaki Kz1100 LTD
81 Honda cm400
72 Suzuki T500 Titan** 2-stroke

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Nessism
Away
Sustaining Member
Posts: 7665
Thanks: 3036

Re: reuse a bottom oil ring???

31 Jan 2016 10:11

#708755

That's a tough one. If your intention for the bike is high I'd just grab the wallet and do it right. That said, I think you should be able to get away with reusing the old rings. I'd measure end gap, both inside the cylinder and out, and inspect them close first though.

Ed
Carb O-ring Kits : www.kzrider.com/forum/3-carburetor/61807...-o-ring-kits?start=0

www.kzrider.com/forum/faq-wiki/618026-new-owner-things-to-know

1981 KZ750E2
www.kzrider.com/forum/11-projects/604901...z750e-project-thread

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

bountyhunter
Offline
User
Posts: 7246
Thanks: 338

Re: reuse a bottom oil ring???

31 Jan 2016 10:29 - 31 Jan 2016 10:31

#708758

cafebrat wrote: Hey guys, i went to put my cylinders on my pistons today and fucked up one of my very bottom oil rings. I still have all eight identical rings that came out. However i dont know which cylinders they each came from, and i know a few cylinders were having blowby and burning some oil. Would it be a bad idea to reuse just one old bottom ring?? Itll cost me $67 (shipping included) to get a new complete ring set for one piston. Talk about an expensive mistake. Just looking for your opinions if you would just swap it out an not worry about it. Thanks in advance.

I couldn't put an old ring in because it would drive me crazy. And I did the same thing as you (broke an oil ring putting it back together). If you plan to keep it and ride it, $67 isn't much to do it right.

1979 KZ-750 Twin

Last edit: 31 Jan 2016 10:31 by bountyhunter.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

KZB2 650
Offline
User
Posts: 1475
Thanks: 265

Re: reuse a bottom oil ring???

31 Jan 2016 10:40

#708760

Before I put my cyl on Jay at Ape and the owner of Redline told me both that the main thing is to watch that I don't roll over a oil ring...... that plus reading on here that several others did it on theirs just about had me a nervous wreck. All I could imagine was scoring up one of the pistons or cylinders. Was worried sick till it started.

I'll let others with more experiance tune in on buying a new one but it would worry me to death too.

1978 KZ650 b-2
700cc Wiseco kit 10 to 1.
1980 KZ750 cam, ape springs, stock clutch/ Barnett springs.
Vance and Hines Header w/ comp baffle and Ape pods, Dyna S and green coils, copper wires.
29MM smooth bores W/ 17.5 pilots, 0-6s and 117.5 main
16/42 gearing X ring chain and alum rear JT sprocket.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

cafebrat
Topic Author
Offline
User
Posts: 82
Thanks: 4

Re: reuse a bottom oil ring???

31 Jan 2016 11:28

#708765

Yeah i used a vernier caliper and feeler gauges to check the old rings and none were worthy of going back in. Ill have to order a new set. Fortunately its rent day for my friends who rent rooms from me

lol and its tax return season so i can use that mentality to get over the close to $70 mistake i made today. And ill have two new oil rings in case anytjing happens the next time. Thanks for the input guys

83 Kawasaki Kz1100 LTD
81 Honda cm400
72 Suzuki T500 Titan** 2-stroke

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

daveo
Offline
Premium Member
Posts: 2908
Thanks: 740

Re: reuse a bottom oil ring???

31 Jan 2016 14:29

#708786

Chalk it up to experience. Though little consolation, the error expense will be a drop in the bucket if you keep the bike for awhile. You will be glad once its done right, and only then be able to forget about it. Otherwise

1982 KZ1100-A2

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

redhawk4
Offline
User
Posts: 640
Thanks: 64

Re: reuse a bottom oil ring???

31 Jan 2016 14:40

#708787

I used to work for a farmer in my teens who told me "the man who never mad a mistake, never made F**k All" I often think of that when I embarrass my self by doing something silly or by rushing.

I messed up something on my main bearings on my V8 by not thinking correctly when I was rebuilding that, new is the only way to go for peace of mind and the satisfaction of a job done well.

1978 KZ1000A2 Wiseco 1075 kit
1977 KZ650B1
1973 Triumph Tiger TR7V
1968 BSA Victor Special 441
2015 Triumph Thunderbird LT
1980 Suzuki SP400

Old enough to know better, still too young to care

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Kapahulu
Offline
User
Posts: 568
Thanks: 44

Re: reuse a bottom oil ring???

31 Jan 2016 14:51

#708791

daveo wrote: Chalk it up to experience. Though little consolation, the error expense will be a drop in the bucket if you keep the bike for awhile. You will be glad once its done right, and only then be able to forget about it. Otherwise

Yup paying for a new set of rings is better than taking the top end off for that one ring later on.

1978 KZ1000, 1976 KZ900, 1975 H2, 1973 H1, 1973 H2, 1978 RD400, 1977 RD400, 1974 RD350
2strokeworld.com

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

SWest
Offline
Sustaining Member
10 22 2014
Posts: 23336
Thanks: 2877

Re: reuse a bottom oil ring???

31 Jan 2016 15:20

#708793

OEM rings? My Wiseco's are $12 a set.
Steve

Z1b1000 1975 Z1b
kzrider.com/forum/11-projects/598262-kz-...-will-it-live#672882
kzrider.com/forum/2-engine/597654-poser?start=240#704229

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

les holt
Offline
Vendor
Posts: 1635
Thanks: 288

Re: reuse a bottom oil ring???

31 Jan 2016 15:24

#708794

1 pc, replace, 3 pc. reuse. On strong built motors I clip 1 notch of the expander of the 3 pc rings to reduce cylinder wall tension. Never noticed any added oiling issues or consumption.

Les

www.facebook.com/PdmCustomFabrication
76 kz 900 turbo
77 LTD 1000 turbo
2 78 Z1R's
72 H2
kzrider.com/forum/13-bike-related/491552...one-followed-me-home
accelerate.presspublisher.us/issue/issue-6-2012/article/ltd
www.cycleworld.com/2013/09/04/2013-cycle...-concours-bike-show/

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

floivanus
Offline
User
Posts: 1055
Thanks: 116

Re: reuse a bottom oil ring???

31 Jan 2016 16:05

#708797

I don't know if you had a bore job or anything done, but if you end up doing that, tell the machinist you want a good chamfer on the bottom on the cylinders, when I do mine, re-install is easy, no ring compressor or anything used, pistons just slip in with a bit of tension put on the rings by hand.

my bikes; 80kz1000(project), 77 gl1000, 74 h2 (project)
Past; 78 kz1000, 83 kz550
Andrew

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

cafebrat
Topic Author
Offline
User
Posts: 82
Thanks: 4

Re: reuse a bottom oil ring???

01 Feb 2016 04:46

#708844

I honed the cylinders, not bored. Everything would have gone together pretty easy if that one ring didn't roll over.

Swest, my model calls for different rings than every other model( part# 13008-5055). I can only find them direct from Kawasaki

83 Kawasaki Kz1100 LTD
81 Honda cm400
72 Suzuki T500 Titan** 2-stroke

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.