reseating rings
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Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 537
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From: Wisconsin
reseating rings
Hello I am about to put new base and head gaskets in my sportster.
The cylinders still have cross hatching and rings look brand new after 12k miles so I will be reusing them.
They are forged wiseco 10-1 .020 over pistons. Is it necessary to reseat the rings after assembly
Thank you in a advance
The cylinders still have cross hatching and rings look brand new after 12k miles so I will be reusing them.
They are forged wiseco 10-1 .020 over pistons. Is it necessary to reseat the rings after assembly
Thank you in a advance
Last edited by 96hugger; Apr 1, 2023 at 04:39 PM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,428
Likes: 30,651
From: Pennsylvania
If you remove the cylinders with the pistons & rings still in the cylinder's all should be good.
Remove the heads slide the cylinder(s) up until the wrist pin shows, remove the wrist pin clips & wrist pin, remove the cylinder(s).
Put back together the same way. Should be no issue.
Remove the heads slide the cylinder(s) up until the wrist pin shows, remove the wrist pin clips & wrist pin, remove the cylinder(s).
Put back together the same way. Should be no issue.
HDF Community Team
Joined: Dec 2005
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Likes: 2,574
From: NC USA
If the engine was so worn out that it didn't have enough compression to start, you'd still be able to see cross hatch with the light just right, so don't even consider that as an indicator.
But with your low mileage, using the procedure described in post #2 is the correct method for replacing the base gaskets provided you use new wrist pin clips. It's been done countless times.
Absolutely nothing wrong using the same pistons and cylinders, but if you pull the cylinders off the pistons and re-use those rings, you'll be very unhappy. The ball flex hone you'd need and the new rings will cost less than you'll spend on 2 oil changes - so either follow CoolBreeze post for disassembly or be prepared for blow-by, excessive oil usage and lowered compression before summer is out.
But with your low mileage, using the procedure described in post #2 is the correct method for replacing the base gaskets provided you use new wrist pin clips. It's been done countless times.
Absolutely nothing wrong using the same pistons and cylinders, but if you pull the cylinders off the pistons and re-use those rings, you'll be very unhappy. The ball flex hone you'd need and the new rings will cost less than you'll spend on 2 oil changes - so either follow CoolBreeze post for disassembly or be prepared for blow-by, excessive oil usage and lowered compression before summer is out.
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 405
Likes: 238
From: NW MO
Like wfoLarry said theres no reason not to slide the jugs off the pistons and put them back on after replacing gaskets. Ball hones are for brake cylinders and youre better off just cleaning the parts, oil and reassemble
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Last edited by Dan89FLSTC; Apr 3, 2023 at 03:24 PM.
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HDF Community Team
Joined: Dec 2005
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From: NC USA
Some time back on that other thread, Dan and I agreed to disagree on this one. 
It's all good but I'm gonna state my case more fully than I did on that other thread.
I saw it tried on one that failed after 1500 miles. Pumped oil out the air boxes to the tune 3 gallons every 500 miles. It was an 8V71 Diesel done by the master tech at the shop I was at. He was ordered by the owner, otherwise he'd not have done it. I was ordered by same owner to do a Carrier 3 cylinder refrigerant compressor. It never pumped again to my knowledge. We both quit shortly after those 2 fiascos.
Several years later tried it on a 3 cylinder Triumph (mine) and yes, base gasket leaking on it. Low miles on the top end but after I did it, compression was a bit lower, no extra blow-by to speak of and it did use more oil. At night I'd see a light blue cloud curling around me at every stop. I rode it about 500 miles and parked it, never to be started again.
All that was about 40 years ago. I make mistakes like everyone else, but putting old rings back into an engine after they've been run in is one I shall not repeat. Again, rings for these are about $35. (less than the oil to do a 3k mile service) so why in heavens name would anyone do that and take a chance wasting gaskets and time if/when it doesn't work out? Makes zero sense to me.
So to any and all you guys who say or think yeah, it's OK, I'm totally open to hearing about it with engine specifics, if it's something you've actually done yourself (even once) rather than something you read somewhere and assume it's true. Really, not trying to start a bar fight, I'd sincerely love to hear some success stories.
That's about as polite as I can make it with this subject and in the vernacular of Forrest Gump; that's about all I have to say about used piston rings....
It's all good but I'm gonna state my case more fully than I did on that other thread.I saw it tried on one that failed after 1500 miles. Pumped oil out the air boxes to the tune 3 gallons every 500 miles. It was an 8V71 Diesel done by the master tech at the shop I was at. He was ordered by the owner, otherwise he'd not have done it. I was ordered by same owner to do a Carrier 3 cylinder refrigerant compressor. It never pumped again to my knowledge. We both quit shortly after those 2 fiascos.
Several years later tried it on a 3 cylinder Triumph (mine) and yes, base gasket leaking on it. Low miles on the top end but after I did it, compression was a bit lower, no extra blow-by to speak of and it did use more oil. At night I'd see a light blue cloud curling around me at every stop. I rode it about 500 miles and parked it, never to be started again.
All that was about 40 years ago. I make mistakes like everyone else, but putting old rings back into an engine after they've been run in is one I shall not repeat. Again, rings for these are about $35. (less than the oil to do a 3k mile service) so why in heavens name would anyone do that and take a chance wasting gaskets and time if/when it doesn't work out? Makes zero sense to me.
So to any and all you guys who say or think yeah, it's OK, I'm totally open to hearing about it with engine specifics, if it's something you've actually done yourself (even once) rather than something you read somewhere and assume it's true. Really, not trying to start a bar fight, I'd sincerely love to hear some success stories.
That's about as polite as I can make it with this subject and in the vernacular of Forrest Gump; that's about all I have to say about used piston rings....