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Piston Expander?


MikeC5

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Yes, They've been around about as long as worn engines have existed. Usually they were a cheap fix for masking a problem of worn cylinders /piston skirts. I would never use them in a classic car today. They also used to sell little metal rings with a piece of felt inside that would crimp onto your overhead valve engines at the valve stem and guide, to keep excessive oil leaking past worn valve guides and burning the oil. If you ever get a chance to read through an old Pep Boys or Western Auto catalog, you'll see MANY doodads for your car like those piston expanders.

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Wow. I hadn't even considered that it was something you put in the piston and leave it in there! Nothing like adding some reciprocating mass to increase bearing loads, etc. So this is in the category of overhaul-in-a-can, snake oil and other magical devices to make your old engine purr like new...

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Guest toybox99615
Wow. I hadn't even considered that it was something you put in the piston and leave it in there! Nothing like adding some reciprocating mass to increase bearing loads, etc. So this is in the category of overhaul-in-a-can, snake oil and other magical devices to make your old engine purr like new...

YUP all these gimmicks did not do more than take your money. Not that anyone is going to buy this today to use; consider the idea: the hours you spent and other parts you bought to remove the pistons and make this fix. What is the possible amount of savings you would have by not buying new pistons? You probably had to buy new rings to use with the expanded pistons. So I'd say your savings was minimal in comparison to the overall cost you are going to have and the efforts you be making towards the rebuild. If done right the first time your not going to be tearing the engine down again to fix the first fix.

Edited by toybox99615 (see edit history)
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