Topic: Can piston rings be "re-used"?

[faux fiddy]

My concern would also  be with  the bike that comes apart and the rings are stuck in the grooves, and *perhaps* one breaks in getting them free. Do rings on one cylinder?

And I said  roughing it up with  emory cloth- maybe more like polish grit sand paper 2-3000 grit if you don't have the machine.

[midnightrider]

I agree with the short answer but, (don't tell anyone) several years ago when I was putting my K0 back together I was using new rings and while installing the cylinders I broke one.  (Don't even remember which one, probably oil ring).  I used the best looking one of my used ones instead and no apparent problems.  But I'm not proud of myself for doing it. 

i did the same thing! 

[Gordon]

And I said  roughing it up with emory emory cloth- maybe more like polish grit sand paper 2-3000 grit if you don't have the machine.

The point is there's no reason to do that.  The rings are already seated to the cylinders.  Using any kind of abrasive to roughen up the cylinder walls will only accomplish increasing the wear of the rings. 

[dave500]

if the bores are glazed and you can see clear reflections in them they need honing,may aswell fit new rings at the same time.

[somesuch]

ive pulled apart motors and just put it all back clean and so long as its within spec itll be ok,old rings can lose tension but so long as the grooves are clean and the rings are free its fine.

Old rings, especially Honda oil rings in my experience, can lose tension if the bike is allowed to get pretty hot. Easy to check though when you put just the rings in the bores to check the end gap.

On the other note,  what is the public opinion on the 10% leak down, I always thought it was approaching the end.....I know that the motor will run with much worse, just when putting a new motor together 2% should be more like it?

--Nick