How to Remove Piston Rings

The piston ring fits into the groove of a piston so that a seal is formed between the piston and the crankshaft cylinder's wall. There are several types of pistons and piston rings available, depending upon the amount of horsepower you're looking for. Replace your vehicle's piston rings when they become corroded and no longer serve their purpose.

Things You'll Need

• Metal scraper
• Cloth
• Wrench
• Hot water
• Rag
• Piston pin mandrel
• Piston ring expander

Instructions

1. Scrape the cylinder above the piston ring to remove buildup and metal that sits above the ring.

2. Catch any shavings in your cloth so they do not fall down into the engine. If your engine tries to run with these types of deposits inside it, it will stall and possibly crack the block.

3. Remove the piston cylinders from the engine. Using the wrench, unscrew the nuts and bolts that hold the cylinder down, then pull the cylinder out. The two nuts in between the induction housing and the cylinder itself will be the most difficult to remove--unscrew those first before moving on to the others.

4. Heat the pistons using a rag soaked in hot water. Wrap the rag around the piston until it is fairly warm to make the removal easier.

5. Pull the piston pins out using the pin mandrel, then remove piston rings using the piston ring expander.

References

• hillmanimages.com: Removing and Installing Piston Rings
• DriveWire Inc.

Resources

• russellw.com: Removing Cylinders
• Sigma Audio: Piston Heating and Removal