420A: Piston removal questions for pro's

GSTurbo1 · 08-09-2012, 11:43 AM

Ok guy, i'm trying to remove piston 1 and 4 and do rings on all of them but I have no engine stand and no constant help with removing the engine. Can I remove the pistons with the engine still in the car?

I have the haynes manual and it says that the engine needs to be take out and turned over to remove them.

I was just thinking I could take a ridge reamer taking it to the top of the cylinders... going underneath taking the oil pan off... unbolting the connecting rods then pushing them out through the top of the block.

Oh yea and I have the head and everything already removed for HG replacement.

iugrad92turbo · 08-09-2012, 11:46 AM

I popped mine out from the bottom a long tool and out they went, never removed the engine. The engine can be removed alone ive done it.

Not sure about a 420 but ive seen lots of engines and i dont recall removing the engine just to get the pistons out.

GSTurbo1 · 08-09-2012, 12:00 PM

Ok cool... i'm going to get them out myself then. I would that the engine out, but between working fifty hours a week and everything else going on in my life i don't have the time or energy to drop the engine. I'm going to do a nice inframe rebuild.

white92talontsi · 08-09-2012, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iugrad92turbo

I popped mine out from the bottom a long tool and out they went, never removed the engine. The engine can be removed alone ive done it.

Not sure about a 420 but ive seen lots of engines and i dont recall removing the engine just to get the pistons out.

From the bottom? I gotta see that trick!

iugrad92turbo · 08-09-2012, 12:22 PM

with my one 1g popped the head and my buddy and i unbolted them from the crank pushed them out no trick, did it a few years back.

GSTurbo1 · 08-09-2012, 01:07 PM

he meant push the piston out from the bottom of the block out the top...

safirenside · 08-09-2012, 06:14 PM

Can't do it you have to take the bottom half of the block that holds the crank in off to get the pistons out. If you try and push them out the top the rod won't go through the cylinder.

BoostedPhoenix · 08-09-2012, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by safirenside

Can't do it you have to take the bottom half of the block that holds the crank in off to get the pistons out. If you try and push them out the top the rod won't go through the cylinder.

This statement is not true at all, if you are trying to say you have to remove the crankshaft to install/remove the piston/connecting rod you do not have experience inside an engine.

Leave the block in the car, remove the crossbrace from the subframe to the radiator support with the front motor mount. Then remove the braces that tie the block to the bottom of the trans bell housing. This should give you room to remove all of your oil pan bolts. Also remove your downpipe if its convenient, it may or may not get in your way when removing your rod caps once the pan is down. turn the crankshaft to position 1&4 at BDC and remove the rod caps. Be very careful and push the piston up and out through the top. Easy peasy, now if you hone the cylinders or use a ridge reamer, be sure to put rags over the exposed crank journals down below.

white92talontsi · 08-09-2012, 06:35 PM

Some people should not be allowed to work on cars.

GSTurbo1 · 08-10-2012, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoostedPhoenix

This statement is not true at all, if you are trying to say you have to remove the crankshaft to install/remove the piston/connecting rod you do not have experience inside an engine.

Leave the block in the car, remove the crossbrace from the subframe to the radiator support with the front motor mount. Then remove the braces that tie the block to the bottom of the trans bell housing. This should give you room to remove all of your oil pan bolts. Also remove your downpipe if its convenient, it may or may not get in your way when removing your rod caps once the pan is down. turn the crankshaft to position 1&4 at BDC and remove the rod caps. Be very careful and push the piston up and out through the top. Easy peasy, now if you hone the cylinders or use a ridge reamer, be sure to put rags over the exposed crank journals down below.

Ok cool deal man... I'm pretty much at the step where I need to remove the oil pan to get to the rod caps. I'll take pics... this will be a good time to install my new crank scraper too!

Quote:

Originally Posted by white92talontsi

Some people should not be allowed to work on cars.

Are you talking about me or buffy the white girl slayer

iugrad92turbo · 08-10-2012, 11:32 AM

Easy enough pop them out, had to replace my rings once.

bryanwheat · 08-10-2012, 11:43 AM

You will need to hone the cylinders if you want those new rings to seat in properly. You will get metal all over the crank and inside the block when doing this. It literally takes an extra 30 minutes to go ahead and pull the block out, i am not sure you one would not do such if you are going to spend money to rebuild an engine. You won't even be able to get the crankshaft out with the block in the car unless you pull the transmission which will leave the block hanging by one mount.

BoostedPhoenix · 08-10-2012, 05:11 PM

People hone cylinders with the block in the car all the time, thus the suggestion to cover the crankshaft. The end result of honing a cylinder is metal particles no different than when a brand new engine is seating the rings. Only he will actually have a chance to clean things when he is done.

bryanwheat · 08-10-2012, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoostedPhoenix

People hone cylinders with the block in the car all the time, thus the suggestion to cover the crankshaft. The end result of honing a cylinder is metal particles no different than when a brand new engine is seating the rings. Only he will actually have a chance to clean things when he is done.

I am well aware that people do it all the time. I have done it my self many years ago. You can cover the crank journals, but you are still likely to get metal particles on the exposed parts of the crank which can be transferred to the journals while assembling the engine. All it takes is a few pieces of debris to eat up your bearings. Can this be done, yes. Is it a good idea, no. Like i said, it will take very little time to pull the engine out and disassemble the whole thing and clean it.

iugrad92turbo · 08-10-2012, 07:02 PM

He has no engine hoist so i guess hell have to do it the best way he can with the engine in the car.

bryanwheat · 08-10-2012, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iugrad92turbo

He has no engine hoist so i guess hell have to do it the best way he can with the engine in the car.

Than you remove the engine from the bottom with a jack and reinstall it the same way.

GSTurbo1 · 08-11-2012, 08:13 AM

I have a tractor lol... the thing can get hoisted out, but help around here is hard to come by. I wore all of my friends out on the first day of the tear down. lol

bryanwheat · 08-11-2012, 08:16 AM

If you have a tractor with hydraulics than get to work.

iugrad92turbo · 08-11-2012, 08:21 AM

Well it seems you gotta get some new friends to help.