Recently received a swap kit from SBT to replace my top end.
#1 piston had died due to suspected lack of lube (oil injection failure).
The Kawasaki has a solid cylinder - it must be removed in a single piece, unlike other watercraft where you can deal with the cylinders one at a time.
I was told that I'd need to remove the engine to be able to get the pistons back in the bore.
So, how do you accomplish it?
set the middle piston in the bore before dropping the cylinder on.
Move the piston to a low position, have a helper insert the connecting rod and circlips.
Go ahead and install the other two pistons on to the rods. To get the pistons in the bore, you really need a ring compressor. What works well as a ring compressor that is thin and sized just right? Hose clamps. Lube the pistons/rings, install a hose clamp around the pistons and rings - snugly, enough to compress the rings, but not so tight that you'll having binding. Oil helps a lot.
Using a helper, have the block lowered down onto the pistons. Be careful with the ring setup, if the hose clamp slips off, you need to start over. Do not force the pistons and be very sure that they move freely once they are in. You can actually view the rings when the piston is in a low position, using a small mirror and lifting off the block a bit.
It's not much fun with the engine in the boat, but it's not impossible.
#1 piston had died due to suspected lack of lube (oil injection failure).
The Kawasaki has a solid cylinder - it must be removed in a single piece, unlike other watercraft where you can deal with the cylinders one at a time.
I was told that I'd need to remove the engine to be able to get the pistons back in the bore.
So, how do you accomplish it?
set the middle piston in the bore before dropping the cylinder on.
Move the piston to a low position, have a helper insert the connecting rod and circlips.
Go ahead and install the other two pistons on to the rods. To get the pistons in the bore, you really need a ring compressor. What works well as a ring compressor that is thin and sized just right? Hose clamps. Lube the pistons/rings, install a hose clamp around the pistons and rings - snugly, enough to compress the rings, but not so tight that you'll having binding. Oil helps a lot.
Using a helper, have the block lowered down onto the pistons. Be careful with the ring setup, if the hose clamp slips off, you need to start over. Do not force the pistons and be very sure that they move freely once they are in. You can actually view the rings when the piston is in a low position, using a small mirror and lifting off the block a bit.
It's not much fun with the engine in the boat, but it's not impossible.
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