What type of piston ring compressor do I need ?

[rswift]

I'm slowly rebuilding a 2 stroke Trabant engine....long story.

Anyway it's all new to and exciting to me, and I need to put the piston barrels over the pistons, as opposed to putting pistons into a cylinder head. I assume it's the same as most motorcycle engines.

What sort of piston ring compressor do I need, tried to do it without but don't want to risk breaking the rings as everything takes a month to arrive from Hungary.

Please excuse the dodgy phone pic, which also appears to be sideways, but it helps show the problem.

[GadgeS3C]

Something like this will do. Just make sure it's the right diameter.

Of course, you could just use a jubilee clip...

[rswift]

GadgeS3C said:

Something like this will do. Just make sure it's the right diameter.

Of course, you could just use a jubilee clip...

Thank you, thats sort of what I thought. I tried the Jubilee clip, and the Jubilee clip/Coke can....but no success.

[oakdale]

Is the gudgeon pin held in by circlips?

If so, I'd remove the piston and fit it to the barrel with an ordinary ring compressor so that enough of the piston sticks out the bottom to refit the gudgeon pin, then fit the pston and barrel as one assembly

[rswift]

oakdale said:

Is the gudgeon pin held in by circlips?

If so, I'd remove the piston and fit it to the barrel with an ordinary ring compressor so that enough of the piston sticks out the bottom to refit the gudgeon pin, then fit the pston and barrel as one assembly

It is, that is an excellent idea.

[oakdale]

rswift said:

oakdale said:

Is the gudgeon pin held in by circlips?

If so, I'd remove the piston and fit it to the barrel with an ordinary ring compressor so that enough of the piston sticks out the bottom to refit the gudgeon pin, then fit the pston and barrel as one assembly

It is, that is an excellent idea.

Fit the pistons from the top of the barrels and keep them correctly orientated as you push them down the bore to prevent the piston ring ends from catching on the transfer or exhaust ports.

[rswift]

Well update to this, is I tried using a conventuals ring compressor.....due to my ham fisted operation I'm now ordering new rings. !