For those of you building a Corvair engine and are not fortunate enough to have an extra block lying around, I discovered a handy helper for installing the pistons into the cylinders. By installing the ring compression tool first, then inserting the piston/rod assembly carefully into the cylinder while holding it straight up and down, seating the skirt in the cylinder up to the beginning of the ring compression tool, your rod will come out the bottom to the point where you can see the rod beam above the rod big end. Place the whole assembly on top of a Duke's mayonnaise (or brand of your choice with same size top opening). The plastic top will insert inside the cylinder, but allow the rod to go inside of the jar, preventing it from scratching the walls. The wide bottom of the jar acts to stabilize the whole assembly while tapping the piston into the cylinder. Once the piston is seated into the cylinder just below the deck end, you can lift the whole assembly clear and be ready to install into the block.
Best part is the jar is free, since I am already using the mayonnaise anyway, and saving the jars for shop organizers! Happy building... Colin KSFB N96TA
