Took a personal day from work yesterday to dedicate to rebuilding the Duc. I very rarely have a empty day where I can sit down and get things done in one shot, so I figured I’d make one. I got up early, put on a fresh pot and got to work.
I detailed my spare cylinders, checked piston-to-wall clearance with a feeler gauge (as I lack the telescoping gauges to do it correctly). I cleaned them up, and then used a scotch-brite pad (the kind that scratches) for a home-made quick light hone. It came out much better than I was expecting. The rings should seal very well. After I set the gaps, and labeled each piston, I put the ring compressor on the forward piston, and put a circlip in, and then installed the piston onto the connecting rod. Then I attempted to do the same rather simple procedure for the vertical piston.
Two hours, and a bunch of jammed up fingers later, I was getting very frustrated at why the circlip wasn’t going in correctly. I pulled it out, and compared it to the remaining cir-clips. Sonovabitch. JE sent me two correct-sized clips, and two clips that are much to big for the piston. No wonder I couldn’t get them in.
Sometimes I do feel there are cosmic forces at work trying to test me. But for now, I wait for a replacement set. My new goal is to get a ride on the 900SS by my birthday. If anyone needs me, I’ll be in the garage filling up my lamp with some of that midnight oil.