deputydawg

I bought a 2001 Rancher 350 that was smoking like a steam engine smoke stack and then some. I removed the top end and quickly figured out that someone installed a new piston and the intake side of the piston was on the exhaust side of the engine. Here's what really got me. The top of the piston is smaller than the bottom. The top of the piston (starting with oil rings) measures 3.0670 and the bottom 3.0845. See attached pictures. I'm guessing that it isn't supposed to be this way but I want someone else to tell me so. The piston ring end gap is like 2/10's of an inch not 2/100's. I can't believe this thing had enough compression for me to drive it around. The great thing is that the cylinder has never been bored, it measures right at the top of the service limit and it just needs a good honing. Just need somone to tell me if the piston top is too small or the right size.

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toodeep

The top will be smaller than the skirt, which is where you would get the clearances for them.