need some input

[98GSt_4life]

ok my head gasket went bad on me and i need to know if i pull the pistons out and set them aside if i can put them back in using the same rings? im not honing the block, im just getting the block and head resurfaced. a few places said i should have no problems at all and other people have told me not to. 2 reasons i dont want to have to replace them. 1) i dont have any extra money 2) ill be puting in a new clutch so i wont be able to set the new rings properly.

 

[Black95awd]

If you have it apart I would change the rings because they will have a slight glaze on them. A new set shouldn't be more than $50. To answer your question, yes I have reused rings successfully, but its not the right way to do it.

Oliver

 

[96eclipzGsT]

Sounds like a lot of work just for a headgasket eh. I would just have the head checked for warpage. To answer your question though they will be okay as long as you put the back in the same cylinders they come out of.

 

[98GSt_4life]

It's not that much work. I'm positive the heads warped because the problem started after it over heated. So I'm just getting both the head and block resurfaced to be safe sence I'll be using a MLS headgasket. Everythings marked and will be going in the same way they came out.

 

[slinarez25]

Yeah you should be good if they go back in the same cylinder.

 

[DSM AWD TSI]

Did you by chance do a compression test before you took your engine apart? If so and the compressions were even and high enough, then you can reuse the rings, as stated previously, in the same cylinders as they were.

 

[98GSt_4life]

Yeah the compression was good. 180 across all 4.

 

[misphit]

If you had perfect compression, why did you pull the head in the first place? Now that you've got it off, is there actually a break in the gasket at all?

 

[98GSt_4life]

I pulled if off because I was getting coolant in one cylinder. And when I took the radiator cap off and started the car it would get bubbly. I couldn't see any breaks in the gasket but there's no cracks in the block and the shop told me today there were imperfections with the head so it must have been the gasket.