Tapered Ring Compressors

[m4tti]

Does anyone have any ideas of where to source in the UK a tapered sleeve style ring compressor. Demon Tweeks does the Arp tapered compressor but not in 96mm. Wiseco do one but I cant find a UK supplier of that size, only smaller bike based piston.

The supply of tools like this in the UK does seem really limited in comparison to the US. Seems to be a dieing hobby over here.

Edited by m4tti on Wednesday 28th May 10:42

[DVandrews]

If you can find a 96mm liner you could easily make your own. There is a company called powerhouse who make them, a quick google or search of ebay might turn something up.

Dave

[m4tti]

Unfortunately neither Powerhouse or ARP make the correct 96mm size or its imperial equivalent. Ive only been able to find a Wiseco item so far.

Edited by m4tti on Wednesday 28th May 11:38

[paintman]

Make one yourself out of a strip of steel/ally with a couple of lugs at the end so you can compress with a set of mole grips?

[m4tti]

That wont create a taper though.. have you used that method before.

The benefit of the purpose built device is that it has a coating to make the piston literally drop in under finger pressure with no damage to the ring.

[m4tti]

DVandrews said:

If you can find a 96mm liner you could easily make your own. There is a company called powerhouse who make them, a quick google or search of ebay might turn something up.

Dave

What did you have in mind to flare out the top of the liner?

[paintman]

I've fitted many pistons over the years to car, bike & boat engines & have used a number of methods of compressing rings - incl the one I suggested - & have never had any problems.
I've never seen a tapered one like the one you show, they've all been either multi-size adjustable ones, pincer type or home-made for odd sizes.
Looks like you might have to import one.

[Snake the Sniper]

Why does it need to taper? It might be the engine I'm used to, but all the compressors I've seen/used are straight sided......

[m4tti]

Snake the Sniper said:

Why does it need to taper? It might be the engine I'm used to, but all the compressors I've seen/used are straight sided......

It doesn't need to be tapered per say, but id quite like to use one on the bottom end I will be assembling shortly.

[DVandrews]

The tapered type is simply like a solid tube, you never have to do it up or undo it, the piston slides down and as it does so the rings are compressed, the advantage is that it requires very little effort to fit the piston to the bore since the piston is not gripped, so it is unlikely that you would break a ring since you would feel the resistance if there were any misalignment, With a conventional ring compressor the piston is gripped quite tightly so that it requires a lot of effort to push the piston into the bore, if a ring offered resistance you wouldn't feel it and could easily break it.

I have made several at different sizes, the taper is made in a lathe and the bottom surface has an inverse chamfer to lock onto the top of the bore.

Faultless device that saves hours of faffing around.

Dave

Edited by DVandrews on Wednesday 28th May 17:28

[m4tti]

DVandrews said:

The tapered type is simply like a solid tube, you never have to do it up or undo it, the piston slides down and as it does so the rings are compressed, the advantage is that it requires very little effort to fit the piston to the bore since the piston is not gripped, so it is unlikely that you would break a ring since you would feel the resistance if there were any misalignment, With a conventional ring compressor the piston is gripped quite tightly so that it requires a lot of effort to push the piston into the bore, if a ring offered resistance you wouldn't feel it and could easily break it.

I have made several at different sizes, the taper is made in a lathe and the bottom surface has an inverse chamfer to lock onto the top of the bore.

Faultless device that saves hours of faffing around.

Dave

Edited by DVandrews on Wednesday 28th May 17:28

Precisely, and exactly why I want one. The pistons can literally be pushed into the bore with finger pressure.

[226bhp]

DVandrews said:

The tapered type is simply like a solid tube, you never have to do it up or undo it, the piston slides down and as it does so the rings are compressed, the advantage is that it requires very little effort to fit the piston to the bore since the piston is not gripped, so it is unlikely that you would break a ring since you would feel the resistance if there were any misalignment, With a conventional ring compressor the piston is gripped quite tightly so that it requires a lot of effort to push the piston into the bore, if a ring offered resistance you wouldn't feel it and could easily break it.

I have made several at different sizes, the taper is made in a lathe and the bottom surface has an inverse chamfer to lock onto the top of the bore.

Faultless device that saves hours of faffing around.

Dave

Edited by DVandrews on Wednesday 28th May 17:28

They look like a great piece of kit and I've wanted some for a while now, but there's no way I can afford that kind of money on one tool to do one specific job though (you would need around 5 per engine!). I have been wanting to make one for some time, but can't see how it locates at the deck. What is this 'inverse chamfer'? Do you mean 'sharpen it like a pencil'?
Do you have a pic or detail?
Ta!

[m4tti]

They are pricey. The thing that's killing the prices Ive had from the states is the postage. Basically $50 for the compressor $50 for the postage.

My plan was to buy one and sell it on if/when I decide to sell the car.

[DVandrews]

The inverse chamfer is just a small shaped lip on the inside of the bore of the compressor that is the exact reverse shape of the chamfer and locates into the chamfer, this locks the device and offers a smooth transition from compressor to bore such that the rails in the oil control ring cannot expand into the chamfer area when the piston is fitted.

Dave

[chippy348]

m4tti said:

Does anyone have any ideas of where to source in the UK a tapered sleeve style ring compressor. Demon Tweeks does the Arp tapered compressor but not in 96mm. Wiseco do one but I cant find a UK supplier of that size, only smaller bike based piston.

The supply of tools like this in the UK does seem really limited in comparison to the US. Seems to be a dieing hobby over here.

Edited by m4tti on Wednesday 28th May 10:42

Give me the Wiseco part number and i will see what i can do for you, are you in a rush for it ?

[226bhp]

DVandrews said:

The inverse chamfer is just a small shaped lip on the inside of the bore of the compressor that is the exact reverse shape of the chamfer and locates into the chamfer, this locks the device and offers a smooth transition from compressor to bore such that the rails in the oil control ring cannot expand into the chamfer area when the piston is fitted.

Dave

Thanks.

That's about as clear as mud.

[m4tti]

chippy348 said:

Give me the Wiseco part number and i will see what i can do for you, are you in a rush for it ?

Hi Paul thanks for the offer, have mailed you the part number.

[DVandrews]

226bhp said:

DVandrews said:

The inverse chamfer is just a small shaped lip on the inside of the bore of the compressor that is the exact reverse shape of the chamfer and locates into the chamfer, this locks the device and offers a smooth transition from compressor to bore such that the rails in the oil control ring cannot expand into the chamfer area when the piston is fitted.

Dave

Thanks.

That's about as clear as mud.

Well pardon me all the way to hell for taking the time to explain.

Do you know what a chamfer is?

It's usually a small 45 degree cut across a 90 degree edge.

A reverse chamfer is the opposite, a small raised lip on a 90 degree edge that is the opposite form of the chamfer. It doesn't take a huge leap of imagination to conjure the image in your mind.

Mud or no, I can't put it any plainer than that.

Dave

[m4tti]

This looks like an interesting option..

A tapered and adjustable.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sme-90a3700

Compresses between 93.98mm and 97.790mm. So this would do it and have possible use on other engines.

Apparently can be delivered for £41.

Dave, do you see any issue in the adjustable design over the fixed one.

[DVandrews]

No issue with it being adjustable, just a bit of a pain getting the adjusted size just right, it will also necessarily be out of round a little which may cause unnecessary clamping on the piston itself which is just what you don't want.

Dave