Advice from members that do their own work.

Waiting on this ST4  kit to arrive and got to thinking.

Cams,lifters,rocker I will use assembly lube.

When assembling the pistons and rings to bore, what do you guys use to lube the rings during the assembly.

I've heard WD-40, Engine oil, assembly lube, dry

????????????????

I was never this hard 20 years ago, must be too much infomation.

i don't use ass lube on the bore or ring's as they need too bed in , just good engine oil  & wipe off the excess  in the bore  after you rotate the engine around a few times before you fit up the heads

http://www.amazon.com/Permatex-81950-Ultra-Engine-Assembly/dp/B000HBNVSK

This shit is the go,

Thin coating on the cylinders

Coating on the piston skirts

ensure you lube the piston ring grooves ( this is to prevent micro welding small bits of molten metal building up between rings and piston )

install the rings and wipe outside of rings clean

install cylinders onto pistons and rings rotate pistons by hand and wipe out excessive lube

a few heat cycles to prevent that micro welding then ride it in a manner that puts plenty of pressure on the rings to seat them firmly

and use dyno oil for break in

 

Thanks guys, I think I'll go with a little dino oil and wipe off the excess.

I'm sure it don't get any more than that at the factory.

What do you guys do exactly to heat cycle a new motor?

Clean inside barrels out thoroughly with warm/hot soapy water & scrubbing brush. (I place them in 10L bucket & scrub)
Wipe inside barrels with a soft white rag & ATF. If black residue still shows up on rag repeat as above.
Wipe barrel clean with another white rag with clean petrol/solvent.

Place pistons in petrol/solvent & swish them around to clean any crap off.
2-3 drops of mineral oil (as suggested) around top/second ring & your good to go to assemble these components.
Remember if you cake these components in oil/lube, all it will do is smoke for the 1st few minutes of start up & won't give you a proper seal.
I was told this method by a mate of mine who builds nitro funny car engines here in the west & it has not failed me yet.

Heat cycling - I have it running at idle for about 2 minutes & let cool to ambient temp. Do this about 3 times & then take for a "ring sealing ride", in 3rd gear from about 1500 rpm to approx 3000 - 3500 rpm stong throttle twisting, about 20 times & your good to go.

seriously read this thread

http://harleytechtalk.org/htt/index.php/topic,55260.0.html

 when heat cycling the cycle use a fan for the stationary air cooled engine as a new motor will thro a lot of heat esp the exh valve that is the hottest part of the engine while the rest is cold esp the crank cases

 So you say use dinosaur oil to break in, so take out the amsoil syn I iam using now and replace with say penrite when I do conversion?

As DR said, just a smear of oil in the bore (mineral). do not use WD40.

Correct me if I'm wrong (and I know you will), it's really important not to use sythetic oil. It is so effecient that if used in a new bore without the rings being bedded properly you can glaze the bores and prevent proper sealing which in turn causes compression loss which in turn causes los of power.

I disagree... I have always heard that you should use Dinosaur oil for breaking in an engine. Now. Do not know why so it's worth more research.

Anyway....the secret to the build is CLEAN..........wash the parts per the above advice as its no bull.

Oh dear, not again. I can hear the groans.

what we do know for sure is dyno oil works, so use it, but you pistons and rings your choice

OK, got it all to bits now.

Ready to go back together

How do you guys fit the pistons to the jugs.

Pistons to rods then ring compressor and slide jugs on or pistons into jugs first then fit as a unit.???????

Or is there a better/easier way.

Pistons on rods then jugs

Ok, Rings????

Do you work them in or use a compressor?