D2 piston install

[64farmboy]

All: I'm in the process of putting the pistons back into my D2-5U12142 and am stumped on how to compress the rings enough to get the piston started back into the bore. I can't put my ring compressor on as it doesn't come apart and I can't compress the rings enough by hand to get them started. What am I supposed to use or purchase to make this work?
Thanks
Dennie G

[SJ]

I don,t quite understand what you mean the compressor won,t come apart. Are you putting the piston in from the top? The rod is too wide for the rod to be on the piston so if you put the piston down in and then put the rod and pin in the bottom that can be done.I just can,t remember as it,s been years since I put one together but it seems that I pushed the rod and piston up from the bottom and then put the rings on and the compressor and then bumped them down in the bore but not sure of this way to put them in but seems I did it that way. I don,t know what you have for a compressor but you may have to either buy one that will work or borrow one from a dealer or friend.

[jmvmopar]

Go to your local Napa and get one like this



You just tap the pistons down in there. Or up in there which ever way your gonna do it.

[64farmboy]

JMV& SJ The pistons go in from the bottom, fed in by the crank, I just got
# 1 in by using lots of engine assembly lube and gently but firmly pushing up on the rod and holding the rings together to enter the chamfer in the bottom of the cylinder liner. Not much room to manuver in there!
I have two different ring compressors, one like you show and another bore specific, (small block chevy 4 inch) as you know the rod end is larger then the piston so the pistons have to go in from the bottom. Persistents is necessary and I was afraid of breaking a ring, I think I got it now
thanks for your reply.

[drujinin]

Which is why I ended up pulling the sleeves which was a blessing in disguise as the block was full of rust in the cooling chambers! So I cleaned the water jacket, then put the pistons into the sleeves and slid them in as an assembly.

[SJ]

I believe we used to at the dealer shove the piston and rod up through the bottom and then let the piston out the top and put the rings on and put the compressor on and tap them back down in the liner.If someone is putting a D2 together check and see if this works as in my memory I think we did it that way. It,s been so many years since I retired so maybe my memory is not right on his procedure.

[gary in CA]

Refering to the ring compresser coming apart.International Harvester had a two piece ring compresser.Never saw one from Cat.On the IH TD 14 & 18 we had the pistons went up from the bottom since the rod ends were bigger than the bore.Regardless of breed,when replacing liners I found it was easier and faster to install pistons and liners at the same time.Some of the kits from Cat already have the pistons and rings installed in the liners.

[zootownjeepguy]

My D2 5U needs new Rings and Liners. Can anybody give me an idea about how much these parts are going to cost? I'd like to avoid the risk of having a stroke at the parts counter. I already have the "gasketry".
Thanks!

[64farmboy]

team, thanks for everyones input After I took a deep breath and reread the Cat motor assembly procedure the piston with rings installed will slide into the bore . There is a good chamfer on the bottom of the sleeve which helps guide it together, not a procedure I would like to do everyday but not hate-full either! I didn't want to take the head off again, I should have done the whole job when I did the valves last spring but I was trying to save money. hindsight is always 20-20.
Thanks again to everyone!

[Ray54]

You can use a large hose clamp to compress one ring at a time or even put two small clamps together to make it big enough.Not like a real ring compressor but I have seen it work when no one had a ring compressor that large enough.
Ray