Air Compressor Piston Ring Help Needed

[chickn4]

I have a Craftsman Air Compressor, 30 gallon, 6hp, part # 919.167311 that the piston ring went out on. I ordered a new one and it is a solid ring (no split) that is kind of a pliable material (like clay with metal in it...will flex some, but breaks fairly easily). The part can be seen here....

http://www.searspartsdirect.com/part...supplierId=919

Anyway, I tried putting two of them on in the past, and now I have ordered 2 more. I can not get the piston back in the cylinder with this ring on. Do I need to heat it up? Bake it? Boil it? Soak it?

Thanks in advance,
Dawson

[junkcollector]

So you can get the ring on the piston but can't get it back in the cylinder? Try putting it in as far is it can go, and slip on a large hose clamp that is big enough to go over the piston ring. Crank down on the clamp, compressing the ring slightly. (NOT TOO HARD!) Then push the piston into the cylinder (the hose clamp will push off as you do this)

I have used this techinque on small engines, but never an oil free compressor, so I have no idea if this will work or not. It's worth a shot.

Keep me posted...

[gpkull]

you may want to sqeeze the ring with the hose clamp (not to tight) and set aside for a while. then loosen the clamp a bit to install. i see this done at the hydraulic shop often

[CraigFL]

I think I did this on a compressor I once had... This is the kind of ring that actually sits at an angle in the bore, and the ring groove has lots of clearance, right? So when the piston moves up and down, the ring almost flips in the bore at the top and bottom?