What is the reason for leaving pistons in cylinders?
 

What is the reason for leaving pistons in cylinders?

I see alot of people remove the pistons and cylinders as a unit.

Why not separate them. You can't clean them properly without taking them apart.

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Lots of views but no comments?

pistons in cylinders
 

If you don't remove the pistons from the cylinders, then you eliminate breaking a ring on the reinstall. Each end of the cylinder can be taped/closed up to allow for external cleaning. Personally, I have removed pistons and cylinders as a unit, but I did not intend to reuse them. Shipping them as an assembly is much more conpact a process. I'll let the next owner do the final disassembly and cleaning, etc at his risk not mine. If one is going to reuse the parts, then the pistons would need to come out for cleaning and measuring.

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thanks, Fred...

are Alusil MORE needing of being kept assembled?

As per Waynes book and Alusil vs Nikasil posts. Re-ringing Alusils is a hit or miss proposition. Its possible but outcomes are not guaranteed.

Some people think that if you leave the pistons in the cylinders, you won't have to worry about "disturbing" the rings. They believe that if you take out the rings and put them back in, they will be oriented differently and may not seal as well. The other reason is as listed above, you don't have to worry about breaking any rings.

I take them apart and make sure to keep the rings on the same pistons/cylinders they came from.

I have re-ringed Alusil cylinders with success.

-Andy