Help with top end

Jwetovick · 03-29-2015, 12:31 PM

Hi. Last summer i put in a new cylinder and piston. The piston lasted about 3 months until the rings broke and pieces of the piston broke off. So, just put in a new piston and after all put back together and turn it over i hear a squeal coming from the piston. Took the head off and looks like the piston is not exactly centered. Seems it is rubbing too much on one side. Same cylinder and it looked just fine even after the first piston broke apart. Please help. Thanks!

Bronco Barney · 03-29-2015, 01:35 PM

Maybe you don't with these now days .... as I'm new to carts but rings used to come so you trimmed them for end gap when installed. Did you trim the rings for proper gap when you installed them? Just a guess.... I'm sure others here can help you if this is not the case.
Good luck.

raydhd · 03-29-2015, 02:24 PM

Just remember the harley's rings are pinned.

Jwetovick · 03-30-2015, 12:13 PM

Thanks guys. Yes I did trim the rings down to the proper spec and made sure they were aligned on the pins when putting the cylinder on. One thing I'm not familiar with is honing a cylinder. Is this a 'must' since the first piston went bad? I'm half tempted to put the old cylinder on and try it. thanks again. any other thoughts?

raydhd · 03-30-2015, 12:34 PM

You can buy a hone for $20 or so.You hone to break the glaze off the cylinder so the new rings can seat.Another note is we found by upping the oil/gas ratio in the fuel extended time between rering jobs.

Jwetovick · 03-31-2015, 12:29 PM

Any other ideas/suggestions? Really just want to get this thing running and sell it. Still seems odd how that piston sits in that cylinder.

Jwetovick · 04-07-2015, 06:47 PM

Still looking for ideas if anyone has any. I have not tried the old cylinder yet. Not sure if i mentioned before but when i was originally turning the motor over there was smoke actually coming from cylider. That is when i stopped everything and asking for help.

Lochlin · 04-15-2015, 04:46 PM

I have no first hand knowledge of an issue like you are seeing but I am just trying to use some logic here.

In the services manuals there is mention of crankshafts being misaligned and needing correcting. It stands to reason that a misaligned crank might cause your issue?

Assuming your cylinder and piston are ok I dont see how it can be anything other than crankshaft related but again, I am just guessing.

03-29-2015, 12:31 PM	#1
Jwetovick Not Yet Wild Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 35	Help with top end Hi. Last summer i put in a new cylinder and piston. The piston lasted about 3 months until the rings broke and pieces of the piston broke off. So, just put in a new piston and after all put back together and turn it over i hear a squeal coming from the piston. Took the head off and looks like the piston is not exactly centered. Seems it is rubbing too much on one side. Same cylinder and it looked just fine even after the first piston broke apart. Please help. Thanks!
Jwetovick Not Yet Wild Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 35

03-29-2015, 01:35 PM	#2
Bronco Barney Gone Wild Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: El Rancho en Debto, So. Cal. Posts: 886	Re: Help with top end Maybe you don't with these now days .... as I'm new to carts but rings used to come so you trimmed them for end gap when installed. Did you trim the rings for proper gap when you installed them? Just a guess.... I'm sure others here can help you if this is not the case. Good luck.

03-29-2015, 02:24 PM	#3
raydhd VC 460 CLONE GONE WILD Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Ray BY The Bay NJ Posts: 10,642	Re: Help with top end Just remember the harley's rings are pinned.

03-30-2015, 12:13 PM	#4
Jwetovick Not Yet Wild Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 35	Re: Help with top end Thanks guys. Yes I did trim the rings down to the proper spec and made sure they were aligned on the pins when putting the cylinder on. One thing I'm not familiar with is honing a cylinder. Is this a 'must' since the first piston went bad? I'm half tempted to put the old cylinder on and try it. thanks again. any other thoughts?
Jwetovick Not Yet Wild Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 35

03-30-2015, 12:34 PM	#5
raydhd VC 460 CLONE GONE WILD Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Ray BY The Bay NJ Posts: 10,642	Re: Help with top end You can buy a hone for $20 or so.You hone to break the glaze off the cylinder so the new rings can seat.Another note is we found by upping the oil/gas ratio in the fuel extended time between rering jobs.

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03-31-2015, 12:29 PM	#6
Jwetovick Not Yet Wild Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 35	Re: Help with top end Any other ideas/suggestions? Really just want to get this thing running and sell it. Still seems odd how that piston sits in that cylinder.
Jwetovick Not Yet Wild Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 35

04-07-2015, 06:47 PM	#7
Jwetovick Not Yet Wild Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 35	Re: Help with top end Still looking for ideas if anyone has any. I have not tried the old cylinder yet. Not sure if i mentioned before but when i was originally turning the motor over there was smoke actually coming from cylider. That is when i stopped everything and asking for help.
Jwetovick Not Yet Wild Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 35

04-15-2015, 04:46 PM	#8
Lochlin Gone Wild Join Date: May 2011 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 2,948	Re: Help with top end I have no first hand knowledge of an issue like you are seeing but I am just trying to use some logic here. In the services manuals there is mention of crankshafts being misaligned and needing correcting. It stands to reason that a misaligned crank might cause your issue? Assuming your cylinder and piston are ok I dont see how it can be anything other than crankshaft related but again, I am just guessing.