Sleeve and piston kit.

[WFE270NWIA]

The sleeve and piston kit I got has the rings on the piston and in the sleeve. When you take the piston out to put the rod on do you install in the engine and call it good to go, or do you take the rings off and check the end gap first? Thanks.

 

[T.R.K.]

All three times in the last 40 years that I found a ring with too small a gap, I was sure glad I took the time to check all of them.
If the ring gap is too small and it heats to where the ring ends touch, it will wipe out the ring lands on the new piston and probably score the liner too.

 

[rustred]

The sleeve and piston kit I got has the rings on the piston and in the sleeve. When you take the piston out to put the rod on do you install in the engine and call it good to go, or do you take the rings off and check the end gap first? Thanks.

what are you working on ? rings are not usually installed on the piston in sleeve sets. kind of a crazy thing now, you dont want to risk breaking a ring removing it. while yes the proper way is to check ring end gap. i would say you could" eye "' up the gap as you push the piston out the top of sleeve. look at each ring while its still half ways in. should be able to check with a feeler gauge. if you know about ring gap them you know the spec. .003-.004 for every inch of bore. make sure the gaps are not on the major or minor thrust sides on assembly.

 

[rustred]

All three times in the last 40 years that I found a ring with too small a gap, I was sure glad I took the time to check all of them.
If the ring gap is too small and it heats to where the ring ends touch, it will wipe out the ring lands on the new piston and probably score the liner too.

and probably break the ring also.

 

[Dieseltech]

I would not put an engine together WITHOUT checking the gaps.

 

[rustred]

thats a for sure.

 

[Fixingfarmer]

what are you working on ? rings are not usually installed on the piston in sleeve sets. kind of a crazy thing now, you dont want to risk breaking a ring removing it. while yes the proper way is to check ring end gap. i would say you could" eye "' up the gap as you push the piston out the top of sleeve. look at each ring while its still half ways in. should be able to check with a feeler gauge. if you know about ring gap them you know the spec. .003-.004 for every inch of bore. make sure the gaps are not on the major or minor thrust sides on assembly.

All of the sleeves and pistons came as a "pack" in the caterpillar inframe kits (at least the ones we sold) coated in a light oil.

These were not cheap.

I would be scared of almost anyone else manufacturing this and would check them. We never did. Would just push out the piston enough on the bottom to attach the rod away you go. we would spin the crank to the bottom and once the rod was attached to piston on the bench push the piston up in the sleeve so you dont hit anything with the rod on the install. Never had a problem. Especially with john deere owning A&I (this is the only other place that I can think of that the right piece of equipment probably has a pack ready to go) I would at the very least do the pop it up enough to see the top one like suggested above.

Packs save about a day on an inframe really on a C15 or 3406. And you get a new piston for what it's worth. I suppose makes it easier for the first timer to rebuild a wet sleeved engine as well.

 

[Keith True]

The first time I saw this was about 15 years ago when freshening a John Deere 4039 engine in an air compressor.I bought the parts from Endurance engine products in Nebraska.I called them,they said ring gaps are checked,you are ready to go,that is what they do for a living.They told me that is their most common question from customers.I also bought a reman engine from them for a Ford 555 backhoe,both are still fine.

 

[WFE270NWIA]

The sleeve and piston kit I got has the rings on the piston and in the sleeve. When you take the piston out to put the rod on do you install in the engine and call it good to go, or do you take the rings off and check the end gap first? Thanks.

1755 Oliver diesel, Reliance sleeve and piston kit. Paper with kit said rings on piston in sleeve to avoid damage to rings in shipping. I got the kit from Korves so I might give them a call.

 

[moresmoke]

OP is better off than the kit I opened a couple hours ago. 3.9" piston in a 4" sleeve and no rings! We'll see how their customer service is.

 

[Destroked 450]

Rebuilt a DT466 for a Case combine 4-5 years ago, the Reliance kit came with piston and ring pre installed in the sleeves, we pushed the pistons down far enough to hang the rods, slid them back up to a inch or two from the top and installed the assemblies
Never had a issue with pre assembled sleeve kits

 

[560Dennis]

What you don’t measure you don’t control . I’d check it .
Yah Got to much money in that set to guess .

 

[Dieseltech]

Years ago I was called out on a diesel "not running right " complaint. What the owner and I found was ONE sleeve assembly had EXCESSIVE ring end gap due to 4.3/8 inch ring set on the 4.5/8 inch piston. I don't know HOW the rings didn't break when they were opened up that much to do that.

 

[ss55]

The sleeve and piston kit I got has the rings on the piston and in the sleeve. When you take the piston out to put the rod on do you install in the engine and call it good to go, or do you take the rings off and check the end gap first? Thanks.

If this is for your own equipment you only loose part of an hour of your time to double check the piston ring gaps for your own peace of mind.

If you are working for hire on someone else's equipment, the bigger question is are the ring gaps wrong often enough that it is fair to charge the customer for this check or does your shop skip the check or does your shop simply eat the time as insurance that you won't have to redo the job later on your shop's dime if the gaps are wrong?

 

[rustred]

I don’t know why anyone would skip part of an engine 0/h . There is no extra charge to check ring gap. It’s your name on the work order for a come back !

 

[8850dave]

John Deere kits have been that way for 40 years with pistons and rings already installed in sleeves

 

[Jim in LA]

The piston assemblies for my '51 8N came withe rings pre installed. I carefully pulled and measured the ring gap one by one. They were all right on the money. PS, I got them from here.