robhinze wrote:I have an old .40 that was made back in the mid 80's. Sat in storage all these years. Engine was very stiff from the old fuel and etc. Took it apart and noted rust/gunk in rear bearings. Cleaned out with PB blaster (antiseize spray) now the crank spins free. Slipped out the piston and buggered the ring while trying to slip back in with out cleaning from the top (Doh! New one orderd) The piston sleeve and block had to be heated to 380 degrees in the oven for 20 mins to be pushed out of the block.
My question is this..Should the sleeve just slip back into the block? Or will I have to heat the block and freeze the sleeve and piston to re-instal. Does the piston always have to be inserted from the bottom of the sleeve?
Use some fine emery cloth (like 400 or 600) to clean the outside of the sleeve, and the inside of the case. You do not have to heat it up to re-install the sleeve. You will have to coax it a little, it's not a "slip fit," but it shouldn't be much of a challenge.
You will install the piston and con rod, connected to the crank, before you put the sleeve in. This is the only way to do this. Otherwise, if you put the piston in after, you'll never be able to slip the big end of the conrod over the crankshaft pin. There's just not enough rooom.
Put the piston and rod assembly in, turn the crank to top dead center, or bottom dead center...whichever one is easier for you to slide the sleeve over the ring, and piston. Just be easy on the thing....if you start to get impatient, put it down for a while and revisit it later.