replace rings or not?

[jeremy5780]

I rebuilt my 1998 115 crossflow back in 09 ran great! well this season I put a new set of head gaskets on it, and the first trip out the port side gasket leaked water in. It must not have gotten a good seal. So now I got the block torn down and had to have the port bottom cyl bored to 30 over, the other 3 are 20 over. So I have to put a new piston and ring's in the 30 over cyl, but my question is can I reuse the other 3 sets of rings in the block? The motor had maybe 100 to 200 hours on it before I replaced the head gaskets. There where no scratches or dings in the walls they looked perfect. But I went ahead and had the three other cylinders honed while it was at the shop being bored. No obvious damage or wear to the three pistons and rings other than a little carbon build up I will clean off.

 

[blimp]

Re: replace rings or not?

If they are freshly honed cylinders, i would replace the rings. Those rings have been broken in to effectively a different cyl.

 

[larryg]

Re: replace rings or not?

in my opion just replace the rings.why take the chance of rings not being any good and then you have to take it apart to repair.question you have to ask yourself is 70 dollars or so worth not having to tear it apart again.

 

[emdsapmgr]

Re: replace rings or not?

The water intrusion may not have come from a leaky head gasket. That engine has the bubble back exhaust system. Possible it was not re-torqued after the engine was broken it. Exhaust water gasket leaks tend to affect the lower cyls. I'd probably put new gaskets on the exhaust manifold and the exhaust cover before restarting it. Check the exhaust manifold for porosity. If honed, I put 4 new ringsets in.

 

[wilde1j]

Re: replace rings or not?

Make sure to check the heads for flatness before re-installing them. Also, make sure bubble back center bolt isn't broken.

 

[snagalager]

Re: replace rings or not?

whats bubble back center bolt