Fitting pistons to a 6cylinder engine

[Stephen Ford]

Hi
Anyone know how you fit pistons to a 6 cylinder land rover motor. The IOE block has a sloping top so you cannot use a normal ring compressor. The honed section does not come to the top of the bore. It looks similar to a series one block, so maybe has the same solution.
Thanks
Steve

[rover-56]

I use a normal ring compressor. There is a counterbore above the cylinder bore which the compressor will slip into.
Could be a problem if the engine has been bored to the max, don't know what to do then. Maybe a strip of shim steel?
Terry

[Homestar]

Not yet, but I'm about to rebuild one. I was thinking about this when I pulled them out. Does the manual say anything about it? I'll go check.

Oh, and welcome to the forum. :). What's the engine going in? Any pics? :)

[Homestar]

Well, the manual is no help - see the pic below 'using a suitable piston ring clamp' :D

Terry's advice sounds the most helpful. :)

[donh54]

Back in the days when I couldn't afford fancy things like ring compressors, we used to use three or four strips of tin cut from a beer can. :)

[Wallaby Ted]

I just used a standard ring compressor which I borrowed from the mechanic next door when I did it and from memory they just pushed in but be careful as I did break a ring on the first one I did when I used too much force.

I had it bored out to 40 thousand to get it back round again and I didn't have too much of a problem after the first one.


Richard

[123rover50]

If you have the crank out you could put them in from the bottom.

K

[Stephen Ford]

Thanks for the replies. Had a bit more of a look at it tonight and the sloping edge leading into the bore is enough to allow the piston to slide in. Just needed a few taps with my hand to get it in. Engine has been bored to + 020 and using new pistons from JP Pistons in Adelaide. There is not enoug space for the ring compressor to fit into the top of the bore, there is maybe a 020 to 030 gap there, so using some shim steel or a cut up aluminium can may work. I'll give that a go after I gap the rest of the rings. Engine is going back into 1972 2a Flat tray. i also have a 74 series 3 flat tray with a Holden motor that is being used as a parts donor, mainly for the chassis. Not sure who thougt using wood to support a flat tray on the series 2a's was a good idea to prevent corrosion!
Cheers
Steve

[1950landy]

On my 80" I put them in from the bottom & on my Rover P3 75 I used a ring compressor to put them in through the top. I will admit I did brake the rings on one cylinder on the P3 due to not being careful. :mad:

[Blknight.aus]

I usually just walk them down with my thumbnail and a small screwdriver, use the thumbnail to compress the ring into the piston and then push it downwards below the lip with the screwdriver.

the oil scraper ring setup can be a bit fiddly....