Where would one obtain the piston ring compressors that are required to load the reciprocating assembly into the block. I enjoy rebuilding all types of motors and would like to try one of these inlines.
i did mine one at a time then bring the rods up out of the bore and bolt them to the crank. the bearings can be frustrating but its easier than breaking rings. i didnt have much luck with the cans.
The set of ring compressors designed for the job are Mercury specific tools. They do appear on eBay periodically, but seem to be a bit pricey. I've tried the traditional wrap-style compressor, and the home made 'beer can' wrap with zip ties. Neither of those work very well due to the deep cavity you have to work with on these Merc blocks. This is a typical case where the best tool, is the correct tool.
