Piston fitment

[denisducati750]

My first ever engine rebuild saw me hanging on every word Nightflyer says on You Tube today as I tried to assemble my new top end. Is it better to fit new Pistons to barrels first and then fit sleeves to rods, or fit Pistons to rods and then slide barrels over the Pistons/rings? Two different methods on YT and I'm not sure which is easier for a novice like me. Slug.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Retiredgentleman's method is probably better for the novice:

http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?p=422698#post422698

 

[5twins]

I like to install the pistons into the bottom of the cylinders first, then lower the piston/cylinder assembly down onto the rods. The bottoms of the bores are beveled so it's pretty easy to get the pistons and rings in. You don't need a ring compressor or any type of tool. Simply compress each ring with your fingers as you rock the piston back and forth a little and apply some downward pressure to it. The rings will work right in.

I have a "special tool" made up to set the cylinder on. This is nothing more than a couple wooden blocks held together with a length of all-thread. The height was figured out to place the piston pins about 1/4" below TDC. That way the crank can be turned and the rods moved up and down slightly to align them with the piston pins. The blocks are 4 3/8" tall .....

Be sure you install the front cam chain guide into the cylinder first before you put it on the engine block. The guide needs to be centered in the cam chain tunnel. You do that by measuring from both sides of the tunnel to the sides of the guide, at both the top and bottom where it protrudes from the cylinder. If the cylinder is on the engine block, you wouldn't be able to measure and center the bottom of the guide.