Starting to dislike the machine shop/parts store

old · Apr 25, 2011

Well been trying to put this 292 Chev 6 cylinder back together but. So far they have gotten me 2 sets of rings both of which will not work. 1st set the rings where to wide to fit the grooves, 2nd set the rings are to big to fit the holes and the ends of the ring over lap by about a 1/4 inch. Oh well guess that is why custom engines are not built every day. Just hope I do not have this type of problem with the cam and other parts that I have to order

Inno · Apr 25, 2011

The problem nowadays is if it doesn't come up in the computer they don't know what you need.
You need to find an old time parts guy who probably could have just gone to the back and pulled what you need off the shelf without having to look it up.

Kind of reminds me of trying to get parts for a 1983 Johnson outboard motor (20hp). I wrote down the model and serial #s as they appeared on the plate on the side of the motor and went in. The lady behind the parts counter punched a few buttons and told me that model didn't exist. I told her to walk with me to the parking lot and I would show her it wasn't a figment of my imagination 'cause it was in the back of my truck!
I ended up ordering my parts online........those motors remained unchanged for almost 30 years.

guido · Apr 25, 2011

Hello old,
I feel your pain! If you have found a set of rings that are a good fit to the piston, all you need to do, is chop the excess and lap the rings to fit the bore. if you are not confortable
doing it, may be a machine shop can do it for you. Just have to do more than normal I guess, to make the rings fit.
Good Luck.................Guido.

ericlb · Apr 25, 2011

they probably are too young to know what a 292 is, lol i wonder if clifford reshearch is still in business? they used to carry custom 6 cylinder stuff it may have been their main business, but havent heard anything about them in years, but that dont mean anything heck i havent heard from 90% of my own family for years,

Earl - IL · Apr 25, 2011

Take the piston to the machine shop & have him get the right rings.

2cylpartsinfo · Apr 25, 2011

The bottom line is most people familiar with a Chevy 292 have retired. Us people that still run things like this and vintage tractors are our own Parts and Service Managers.

Fortunately, we have this web site to help one another out.

JOCCO · Apr 25, 2011

Try otto gas engine works David Reed Your problem will be solved asap!!! Unless of course you are the problem?

Bob Bancroft · Apr 25, 2011

Similar but different. This AM went with a buddy to big JD dealer that does a lot of lawn and garden. We had the numbers off a Kohler engine and wanted some basic tune up parts. The nice YOUNG parts guy needed to come up with a JD lawn tractor that used the same engine before he could even try to find anything! Apparently all he knows is whatever the JD computer screen in front of him will show him!

old · Apr 25, 2011

Ah but the piton came from the machine shop they bored the block to match the pistons the problem is seal power seems to have changed numbers or something so the rings that should fit do not fit.

old · Apr 25, 2011

Ya could do that but this is one of those cases where the machine shop bored the block to fit the pistons not the other way around. When it is done it will be a blue printed engine and ya I could maybe and maybe will have to send the pistons back to the machine shop and have them fit the rings to the pistons. I do not have the correct equipment to do it here

rustred · Apr 25, 2011

order rings for a 250 cid engine then if they dont know what a 292 is,, same bore, same rings.

old · Apr 25, 2011

Not in this case the guy I am working with on this is just a few years younger then me and he knows the old Chev engines well if seems to be a ring company problem and then changing the part numbers in some way

Dave in Tx · Apr 25, 2011

Call Hastings rings, give the the bore size and mumber of rings and the width of each ring. You will get them in a couple of days.

george md · Apr 25, 2011

Old,

Sealed power number in both the new and old
catalog is E-217 + X,K, or KC depending on
whether you want cast ,premium , or chrome .
The new catalog that I have is new last week.
The ring set for a 250 will not work as they
are different ring widths.

250 is an E-234 + and is 5/64 & 3/16 rings

292 is an e- 217 + and is 3/32 & 3/16 rings

george

old · Apr 25, 2011

These pistons are not the run of the mill pistons. These are high compression 60 over bore. If I could find the paper work I would give you the name of the company that made them which was Edger or something like that but I can not find the paers on them right now

old · Apr 25, 2011

Will not work since this is a custom 60 over bore high compression piston set so run of the mill rings will not cut it. This has been bored out to around a 305 give or take a bit

Dialed In Restorations · Apr 25, 2011

It is sooooo hard to find a good machine shop any more. I am dealing with a motor for a truck I'm working on. The owner son took it to a shop which I said better not do that. One head was milled backwards, and the shop wouldn't take it back! I had to get a head off a parts truck and take it to the shop I use and it was fine. its hard to find a shop that is smart and knows about old stuff and will shoot you straight

Kent Petersen · Apr 25, 2011

Please tell me how do you mill a head backwards

Dialed In Restorations · Apr 25, 2011

Well, it was at a wrong angle so the back end had a large gap and the intake manifold would not seal. Took it to the guy I use he took a look and clamped it in his mill and just started to laugh.

Mark - IN. · Apr 25, 2011

I remember some years back arguing with a couple of youngsters at the Chevy counter that in 1970 that Chevy came out with the 400 SB, 454 BB, and bored the 396 .030 over so became a 402, and they kept telling me the the 400 SB and 402 BB were the same engine...a 400, period. They worked the parts counter at the Chevy dealer.

By the way, I had a '69 K20 with a 292 with Dana 70's front and rear. Wish I never sold that truck.

Mark

GordoSD · Apr 25, 2011

Blue printed 292? Why not a 350 mouse with 500% more power and 140% the weight?

Steven-Id · Apr 25, 2011

Old, Could the brand of the pistons be Badger? I thought they were a shoot off of either Sealed Power or TRW. I don't remember which. Did they just machine the grooves in the pistons wrong? You may have to send them back and get another set. Good luck.

Steven

Anonymous-0 · Apr 25, 2011

That's EGGE Machine Co. 1-800-866-3443. If they supplied the pistons, they can supply the rings.
In case anyone else cares, they specialize in parts for older engines. Just google the name above.

old · Apr 25, 2011

Because pound for pound a 6 will out pull any V-8 and do it for the get go at lower RPM but then I guess your not an old school hot rodder who knows on the drag strip a 6 cylinder will eat a V-8 and not look back. That is why there is no long one class but at least 2 and a 5 can not run with a V-8 because in the 1/4 mile a 6 will suck a V-8 in and spit it out. I am an old school rodder

old · Apr 25, 2011

No the name started with an E. They where a special order piston for this engine and the shop would not bore the block till they had the pistons on hand and now the machine shop seems to have a problem finding the correct rings for them

old · Apr 25, 2011

Yes you are correct just found the paper work on the pistons and will forward that info to my parts guy so maybe he can get the correct rings. Maybe even see if they have a performance cam for it and also a few other odd parts like an intake

allen brown · Apr 26, 2011

just differant stroke 292 are great engines

Anonymous-0 · Apr 26, 2011

Check this out.
Click Here

Anonymous-0 · Apr 26, 2011

Parts source for Chevy six bangers.
Click Here

Anonymous-0 · Apr 26, 2011

Nice people too. Stan

guido · Apr 26, 2011

Hello old,
You tell me! I've seen 6cyl chevy at the trator pull, The do put on a good show.
Torque(T) = Force(F) x Lenght (L).
The 6 has more torque pound for pound for sure.
Guido.

JML755 · Apr 26, 2011

(quoted from post at 20:29:54 04/25/11) Similar but different. This AM went with a buddy to big JD dealer that does a lot of lawn and garden. We had the numbers off a Kohler engine and wanted some basic tune up parts. The nice YOUNG parts guy needed to come up with a JD lawn tractor that used the same engine before he could even try to find anything! Apparently all he knows is whatever the JD computer screen in front of him will show him!

I always have to smile when posters bash YOUNG people for not having the knowledge that comes with decades of experience. How does one get that knowledge? Do you think that every dealer can afford to put every new employee through training on every product line they carry? Even then, they wouldn't remember everything they were told. The "old" parts counter guy was young once himself. Try and be a little patient and understanding with young people who are at least WORKING and not sitting in front of a video game at home.

Also, that "computer screen" is no different than the parts books that used to line the counters and counter guys would page through them trying to find what you need. How many of you have waited patiently while a guy stared at pages with print so small you almost needed a magnifier glass? Then they'd sometimes go across to the p/n and get the one above or below the one you needed. BTDT. Sometimes you'd spend a LONGGGG time either on your problem or waiting till the guy ahead of you got his issue fixed. Nowadays, they can tell you in a flash what the p/n is, how many they've got in stock and if they're out, sometimes they can tell you which part store nearby has it. I did that with injectors a year ago. Parts guy only had 1 but gave me 2 stores nearby that had them w/o even having to phone them.

Anyway, I always try and give the guy/gal behind the counter a smile and no attitude. If they're in a bad mood or short and impatient, I figure the last guy they dealt with was probably a grumpy old man who expected them to be the wikipedia of knowledge on his old piece of equipment.

old · Apr 26, 2011

Not bashing a young guy just the shops in general. Matter of fact the guy that has been helping me on this since I started on it is 50 and been in the O'Reilly's chain for a couple decades. It is just the thing if they ordered the pistons and bored the block to fit the pistons you would think they could also order the correct rings since they are the ones doing the machine shop work

old · Apr 26, 2011

Yep and they product is at around 1500 RPM where as a V-8 has to be spinning up around 3500 RPM for max torque and if you dump the clutch at 3500 rpm something has to give but at 1500rpm since that is just above a high idle dumping the clutch does not brake things as often

Inno · Apr 26, 2011

I always have to smile when posters bash YOUNG people for not having the knowledge that comes with decades of experience.

I have come across quite a few young people that are very helpful and knowledgeable. I think it comes down to whether or not the person behind the counter cares to better his knowledge of the products he/she is selling. Some people want to do the best job they can, others just want to do the job and go home with a paycheck.

JML755 · Apr 26, 2011

(quoted from post at 11:26:18 04/26/11) ....... It is just the thing if they ordered the pistons and bored the block to fit the pistons you would think they could also order the correct rings since they are the ones doing the machine shop work

old,
Agree totally. What you describe is what we preach at our company: "attention to detail". Now, we ALL make mistakes, bu if it was me that made the mistake, I'd be apologizing like crazy to the customer and doing what I could to make it right.

My comment was directed at the post regarding the "YOUNG man who only knew what was on the computer screen in front of him"

BTW, you anywhere near the levee break?

old · Apr 26, 2011

Talked to my parts man today and he in turn checked with the machine shop guy. He is going to call the Egge Machine company which is who sold them the pistons and get the correct rings that way we hope

massey 333 · Apr 26, 2011

Just a Question Old,what kind of mechanic orders special pistons(non standard) for something and doesn't order the rings with them?That is standard procedure when building something special.

old · Apr 26, 2011

I did not order the piston the machine shop did so in turn they where the ones who where suppose to order the correct parts. See there you go again trying to blame me but you again do not know the whole story

massey 333 · Apr 27, 2011

I didn't name you Old,but ANYBODY that would order and try to fit pistons with out haveing the proper rings on hand is suspect.But you are dealing with O'Really.

old · Apr 27, 2011

Ya that is what has been odd. The machine shop gave the parts guy the numbers for 2 sets of rings that did not work and now the parts guy has ordered rings form Egge Machine company which is where the pistons came from so this time they should be the correct ones. Maybe now days you never know

Starting to dislike the machine shop/parts store

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