head studs/ head wok

[captain hook]

So I finally got to it. . Everything except that head stud looks good. On removing the number 1 cylinder. I pulled to far and the rings are out. I've read to not to this. Any thoughts on a nxt step. Or is it just a matter of a ring compresser on reassembly. ? Thx

[Walt Fricke]

Right - just use a ring compressor. I gather you will use the "have rings on pistons in cylinders, lower and insert wrist pins and clips, then push rest of way into case" system? Even easier to get the rings successfully into the cylinders on the bench like that, and I bet you can line up the wrist pin holes pretty accurately as well. Some of us (me, anyway)do it like we did with our VWs (and maybe as shown in the Porsche manual?) - install pistons on rods, then slide cylinders over the assembly. If we can do that working around that forest of studs, you can get the rings compressed and in on the bench. You could even use, if you can find, a one piece ring compressor - a thin steel cylinder with a little outward bevel on it, like the guys use on Detroit iron, assuming someone makes those for your bore size.

[captain hook]

yes that's about what thought. I read some saying be super careful to not slip piston out of cylinder. I guess its a issue of reseating the rings. ?

[captain hook]

So I guess this is a hang up. Broke a upper stud there's about a inch left. Had heat on for 10min. I've sprayed BP blaster gunna let it sit over night and heat again tommrrow and try with pipe wrench. Any tips. Thx

[JFairman]

Weld a nut on to the stud. I've seen people tig one on. The heat from welding will soften up old loctite that may be on the threads and then it should turn without breaking again.
good luck with it.

[Walt Fricke]

Capt - sorry about the extra stud problem.

Getting the rings compressed into the piston, and the assembly back into the cylinder, is one of the sometimes tricky, sometimes frustrating, and always mildly dangerous operations in engine reassembly. It is easy for one of those devil rings to slip out of the compressor just when you think you have it in and are popping the top of the cylinder with a hand to move things farther down. Rings can be broken at this point. I haven't done that, but that's probably mostly luck, and the realization that if the cylinder doesn't fairly easily want to move farther down, don't try to force it, and start looking more carefully for an escaped part of a ring.

I think there are trade offs here - easier to insert the final wrist pin clip with the cylinders off than with them partly on, but easier to deal with the rings the other way. With care, both work.

[Flat6pac]

Last time I saw a broken top stud it was on a turbo case with 24 dilivars.
My preference, outside the factory steel studs, is the Supertec studs because the fine threads on the outside help with better torque control when installing the heads.
I find it's easier to install the P&Cs with the bottom studs not installed until the piston units are seated.
Bruce

[Henry Schmidt]

After building these engines for over 30 years, we have found installing the piston and cylinder as a unit then installing the head studs to be far cleaner method of assembly.
Of course, this method requires a stud that has no specific head stud install height.

[captain hook]

Thx very much guys. Noticed the oil control ring to be.... well oily in the "center". Motor ran great before. But should I be looking to simply clean everything up or new rings?. I feel my self sliding down that slippery slope. If it makes any sense, it seems that once you see one thing it makes no sense to leave it. I can see this turning into a "everything job". Henry. What do you use to clean?.besides patiance? . Went with arp bolts. Nxt engine I'll go supertec... the finer thread on top seems to make way more sense to control tourqe. Really enjoying the process so far!.

[Eagledriver]

Unless you have reason to believe the rings are worn out, I'd reuse the old ones. I've seen brand new Goetz rings with bigger end gaps than the used rings already on the pistons. The oil rings are supposed to be oily. The pistons have holes in the oil ring grooves to let oil in.

-Andy

[Tori]

subscibed

good luck OP, i'm right behind you with mine....

[Walt Fricke]

Henry's tip (like Bruce's) about installing studs, or some of them, after you are done getting the wrist pins in and locked, and the pistons in the cylinders so the rings are inside, makes sense. Studs are going to make inserting clips, and dealing with ring compressors if you do that later rather than sooner, much easier.

However, that benefit only accrues if you have removed the cylinder head studs. For some rebuilds that is pretty much a given, as you are replacing them, having the spigots machined for height or bore, and so on. Not for a quick rebuild where you aren't doing all of that.

I think you could set the stud installed height easily enough even if using barrel nuts, though. Just measure the height above the top of the installed cylinder. If you can't calculate what that should be, just install one stud to the proper height, and slip a cylinder on and measure how far up the stud sticks.

[captain hook]

As it sits now. All cylinders are off. All head studs out. Arp studs are here now. Gasket set. The idea was just replace the broken stud. Will also do clutch lw flywheel n stuff from Patrick racing. Also new ssi with and patrick muffler 2 in 1 out. Added lsd to 915. This us just a quick in. I'll pull it out again maybe after season.

[captain hook]

It's almost there.