Super C engine question

[Charlie M]

Couple of years ago I bought a real basket case Super C. It had sat in the weeds a long time but I got things cleaned up and fixed up and got the tractor running. It runs pretty good but smokes so bad from
burning oil you can't hardly see to drive it sometimes. Compression is low also. I've tried some of the typical remedies and it has gotten better but I've decided I'm not waiting longer to find out if it ever
stops smoking. I've got the head off and will take that to a shop to do what ever they find needs doing. Now with the head off I'm finding a ridge around the top of each cylinder. My question is can I hone off
that ridge or should I hone off the ridge and avoid replacing the cylinders. How much wear should I be concerned about. I'm hoping to not put a fortune into the motor and I am not concerned about getting back
to factory condition. I don't have the pistons out yet so I don't know about the condition of the lower half the engine. Looking for thoughts on the cylinders.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

You need a tool called a ridge reamer to remove the ridge in order to get the pistons out. The rings will not go past the ridge, so what will happen is you'll end up breaking the ring, breaking the piston, or breaking the sleeve trying to pound them out.

The ridge is an indication of sleeve wear. Most likely your tractor needs new sleeves and pistons.

 

[John T]

Ive used a ridge reamer to cut those out HOWEVER if they are too deep that's a sign the cylinders may be worn too much in which case a new set of rings alone isn't the solution, time for possibly a rebore (if suitable) or new sleeves (if so equipped) and appropriate size piston and rings... Yep expensive grrrrrrrrrrr sorry to be the bearer of bad news but had to say it

John T NOT a professional mechanic so no warranty, see if any mechanics agree ??????????

 

[SDE]

You can remove the ridge with a ridge reamer. Then you can remove the piston and hone the entire sleeve. New rings will be a 75% solution. Oil consumption will drop to almost zero and the smoking will be gone. Compression and power will increase. You will still have some wear on the piston skirts. The sleeves will be slightly out of round and have some taper. The engine will have a very small amount of piston slap, which you can hear at certain times. Will you be happy with 75%? That is how I fixed my tractor and I am pleased to have it better than it was, but there are times that I wish I had gone whole hog on it. It is your tractor and you get to do as you wish. Your tractor will not be how you make your living and so it isn't going to to be critical for you have a machine that is perfect.

 

[teddy52food]

You need to remove the ridge to get the pistons out. If you don't, the new top ring will break as it will hit that ridge. I have used the old sleeves with success if they miked out with less than ten thousands wear.

 

[Janicholson]

The time on task to put it into Just OK condition is much greater than just spending the bucks to make it right. Figur that the pistons are worn, the bearings are worn, the components are now under more strain, and pulling the wet sleeves is pretty easy. Jim
parts from the YT store.

 

[Charlie M]

I guess I'm not surprised by the answers. I was expecting to change the cylinders but was hoping someone had another idea.

 

[Dh2jr]

I'm just thinking that you will have a new head at least rebuilt and you will all ways have it in the back of your mind that you should have totally rebuilt the bottom end. I mean the top end is new should make the bottom end new. Just do it right the first time and you won't have the what if? Ghost haunting your mind.
Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[Dave41A]

What's the tractor used for? That will inform the whole hog rebuild vs the 75% solution.

My only other comment would be to measure carefully. You may find that some parts still mike out within spec. Again, end usage determines what you do next.

 

[504]

Cut the groove,rings and bearings is the way it was done a lot in the 60s. If the bearings look good, I would plastigauge them, and reuse them if they are good. Complete rebuild kit will be around $150.00 a hole,plus the head.