Need advice - Op rod guide - pics

[Mr.4x4]

Hey guys. I mounted up my tri-rail on my poly/usgi/norico frankenstein and I noticed that my op rod is not contacting my gas piston straight and am wondering if the op rod guide needs to be moved.
In the pics ( sorry not a great camera ) you can see that the gas piston is not in the perfect center of the assembly ( norinco ) and is slightly coming out to the left ( looking down the barrel from receiver sights up)
The Op rod seems to be misaligned ( also to the left of center towards the center of the gas piston ) and not contacting it dead on. Im not sure if this needs correcting, is it going to cause premature wear? will turning the guide help accuracy?
Also there is a ( bad ) pic of the op rod guide pin and it has been peened which tells me ( maybe ) it was worked on before I purchased the gun ( used ). It is peened on both sides with 3 indents on each side.
Again sorry for the bad pics and I hope I can get this corrected before my ##### falls off Ps before anyone comments I just reassembled - greased and blue lock tited the tri-rail and had not wiped off the excess yet ( took pics while lock tite was drying )

Thanks for your input in advance
Pic from bottom looking at gas rod, notice they are both off to one side but not connecting dead center

Pic barrel up looking at gas piston ( notice off to left of center )

See the gas rod - pison off. Also the peening on the Op rod guide pin

 

[M14Doctor]

Your oprod guide needs to be immobilized and aligned so oprod meets piston dead center.
This is a standard accurizing procedure and once complete also reduces wear on oprod, receiver and oprod guide.
The barrel location is peened or gently disturbed with a small hammer and center punch, making even rows of 3 punch marks each around the barrels oprod guide mounting surface.
RED loctite is applied to the disturbed surface and the oprod guide is coaxed back into place with a small hammer and block of hardwood or similar "drift"
Red loctite is applied to the pin hole and pin is re inserted.
With gas assembly installed, next instal oprod, spring and guide rod.
Tap oprod guide into optimum postion, aligning center of oprod to center of gas piston.
Allow to set for 24 hours prior to cycling action

 

[Mr.4x4]

Thanks Doc
Im wondering, since the hole that the pin slides into is peened on both sides around the hole, should a little dremel work on one side to take out the peens making removing the pin easier or is this a no-no?
I know to replace the pin with a new one and a brass punch, is the pin size 1/8 X 3/4" ?

Thanks again.

 

[M14Doctor]

I don't dremel or precondition the 3 punch marks seen on the oprod guide sides. I brace the oprod guide on a block of wood with a 1/2" hole drilled in it, and drive out the pin. Using the block prevents rotation of guide while pounding out pin and the pin drops neatly out into the blocks 1/2" hole.
By not dremeling the holes, the metal can be pushed back with a punch once task is complete.
Yes I believe it's a 1/8 X 3/4

 

[Mr.4x4]

Thank you sir

 

[Holleyman]

...

 

[crashcollins]

Aren't they all like that, even the real M14's and M1A's?

 

[Grizzlypeg]

I think that op rod and spring has been slimed. A little dab will do ya.

 

[chopper 1]

Just a thought -

Your oprod guide needs to be immobilized and aligned so oprod meets piston dead center.
This is a standard accurizing procedure and once complete also reduces wear on oprod, receiver and oprod guide.
The barrel location is peened or gently disturbed with a small hammer and center punch, making even rows of 3 punch marks each around the barrels oprod guide mounting surface.
RED loctite is applied to the disturbed surface and the oprod guide is coaxed back into place with a small hammer and block of hardwood or similar "drift"
Red loctite is applied to the pin hole and pin is re inserted.
With gas assembly installed, next instal oprod, spring and guide rod.
Tap oprod guide into optimum postion, aligning center of oprod to center of gas piston.
Allow to set for 24 hours prior to cycling action

I have stopped using locktite on my builds and added more peening instead.
Makes it much easier for future disassembly for maintenance - ie easier bolt removal by wacking the op rod guide off center etc.
None of my builds has had op rod guide misalignement due to no lock tite so far. Even had one with no roll pin and the peening has also held up. (The roll pin was in pieces - told the owner to replace it - he never did LOL)