I am about to install a Orient Express 100mm piston on my 99 Road Star.

My cylinders have been Nikasilled (Nickel Sillicon Carbide)

I get mixed messages with regards to the chrome face rings supplied and lubrication during 1st time assembly of the piston. I will be using a Total Seal gapless topring.

Some say use lots of lubrication with semi-synthetic engine oil. Others say it will glaze the cylinders and the piston rings won't set.

Others say to use special running-in oil in the engine and during assembly.

Some say to use lots WD40 instead of engine oil to lubricate before assembly as it is supposed to burn off at first start.

Others say to use 2% 2-stroke oil during the break-in in the fuel.

I would really appreciate all advice.

John

when I was putting my motor back together after getting the 108" big bore kit, I was told by a very reliable source to use WD-40. I sprayed the entire cylinder walls as well as the piston and rings. Everything is great. You can also use regular motor oil (I used Rotella 15-40) to coat the cylinder walls and pistons. I was told to use dyno oil (Rotella in my case) for the break in period. Good luck

Did you have a iron liner or ceramic coating in the cylinder?

John

I have the nikasil cylinders.

maessen wrote:

Others say to use 2% 2-stroke oil during the break-in in the fuel.



John
With that much oil in the gas, I think it might lower the octane enough to make it ping like crazy!
The extra pressure of low-octane fuel pinging (pre-ignition) in the cylinder would definitely help seat the new rings, but if you're not careful with this stuff, you could end up breaking your new rings and knocking a hole right through your new pistons! And to mention all that extra gummy carbon buildup in a new engine.
(4-stroke gasoline engines are not made to burn oily fuels the way diesels do, 4-stroke gas motors running on oily based fuels will knock themselves apart!)
Just break her in with regular clean gasoline, and regular motorcycle engine oil. Don't let it idle too much, let it warm up good before riding, vary your RPMS lots, don't lug it, don't abuse it, and make sure you change the oil and filter after the first 20 minutes of operation and then change the oil and filter again after no more than 400-500 miles. (Just use cheap oil and filter for the first 20 minute run time.) There will be lots of metal particles in the oil and filter from the new cylinders and rings polishing themselves in, and you don't need this crap pounding itself into the bearings and other parts of the engine unnecessarily.
The engine will tend to run hotter while its breaking in the new rings and cylinders, due to friction. Don't do anything to the engine to make it work TOO hard and overheat. But don't drive it like a little old lady either.
I myself usually stagger all of the three rings gaps about 120 degrees from each other, and have found this to work good in truck engines to prevent the cylinders from eventually wearing into an oval shape, and to make them last longer. I've always just used 5w30 regular dino oil to assemble rings and pistons with. It is not too heavy of oil to let the rings seat, but it will lubricate the rings enough to prevent heat damage to the new piston rings from the massive friction that occurs just after the first startup and warmup of the rebuilt engine. There will be LOTS of FRICTION and HEAT between the new rings and cylinders for a breif time until things get polished a bit!
Hope this all helps. Good luck!

and make sure you change the oil and filter after the first 20 minutes of operation and then change the oil and filter again after no more than 400-500 miles.

How can I remove the filter without all oil leaking out of the engine.

Seems strange to me!

I think he means to pull the drain plugs first.. , then take the filter off. .you will still get a little mess goin tho..

Yeah when i have the oil out better replace that too.

I do not see the logic here.