Can pistons be removed by just dropping the oil pan, and removing the head?

[DROPthatCLUTCH]

Can pistons be removed by just dropping the oil pan, and removing the head?

 

[3kgt2nv]

Yes. Just mark the end cap and unbolt it. Push the piston out and then reinstall the end cap back on the rod. Number the pistons if you are going to reinstall them so they will be in the same location.

 

[rx7ttlm]

Can pistons be removed by just dropping the oil pan, and removing the head?

Is it possible, yes. But it really depends on why your doing it. If your rebuilding the engine you might as well pull the whole thing out. Your almost there at that point.

 

[3kgt2nv]

Agreed as your going to be doing the rod bearings you might as well do the mains also since you have it open.

 

[DROPthatCLUTCH]

Okay. Thanks for the quick answers!

Agreed as your going to be doing the rod bearings you might as well do the mains also since you have it open.

Just rings. But i will keep that in mind.
Thanks again.

 

[dsmpat95]

Make sure you keep everything clean going about it that way. Its a little harder to keep clean in the engine bay. Good luck on the rings.

 

[3kgt2nv]

if your going to reuse the bearings definitely make sure to number the pistons so they stay with the journal they came off of.

 

[delta448]

Just rings.

Bad idea. Please consider doing it the right way. I've seen many of these backyard "rebuilds" around here where the owner just throws in bearings and rings. No measurements, no machining, no reliability. Personally, I won't touch a car that had a "rebuild" if the owner can't produce machine shop receipts.

You need to hone the glaze off of the cylinders if you want to actually improve anything. New rings will seal even less than the old ones if they aren't broken in properly. For new rings to seat properly and seal correctly, there needs to be a fresh surface in the bore. Some people get away with just using a glaze breaker by hand for a little while, but it usually creates many more problems down the road than it fixes right now. It is very hard to use a hand held drill attachment and come up with a perfectly even bore with correct taper 4 successive times.

Just throwing in a set of bearings is just as bad. At least use plastigage. It's not as accurate, but at least you'll know you don't have too tight a clearance. It would piss you off right if you spun a rod and windowed your block 10 minutes after putting it back together.

Other than that, good luck.

 

[joescool2008]

I second the above post. Honestly pulling the motor to do the timing and everything is fairly easy since you dont have to deal with clearance issues and everything will be accessible with a torque wrench.

 

[DROPthatCLUTCH]

Well, I was going to mark everything, and keep bearings with their rods, and rods with their journals. Everything would go back in the exact same place.

I was also planning on honing each cylinder with a drill hone.. I understand this can be difficult, but i do have some experience with drill honing. I'm not trying to say im an expert or anything, but I am on a tight budget.

Also, it's not like I'm doing this in the back alley, or on the front street. I'm doing this all in a garage. Everything will be kept clean, tidy, and organized.

 

[camron_m]

I say as long as you have an idea of what you are getting into go for it. I have done some "backyard rebuild" type things. From my experiences as long as planned properly the outcome has beed favorable.

 

[VETTE_50_TH]

To take what you are asking literally, just so i dont get any more infractions from mods,

NO. You can not remove the oil pan, remove the head and remove a piston. You have to remove the rods as well.

 

[rlacasse1]

No, you can not just pull the pan and then pull out the pistons.

I mean sure, they'll come out, but putting them in will be a problem as you can't really get a piston ring compressor under there. So you're rings will get all sorts of ####ed when you try and put them back in.

And on top of that, I'm pretty sure you will have to pull the crank as well, I doubt a piston will slide out between the crank and block, to tight of an area. And you can't really pull the crank without pulling the engine.

So, NNNOOOO!!!!!!!!

Pull the head, and do it right.

Oh, and add onto that what Delta448 said about honing the cylinders.

 

[JusMX141]

Can pistons be removed by just dropping the oil pan, and removing the head?

Sure can.

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[rlacasse1]

Wish I could see those pictures.

What are the pics of??????

 

[98mitsubishigst]

Wish I could see those pictures.

What are the pics of??????

The pictures are of someone actually pulling the head and pan off and replacing the pistons and other parts.

YES, it is possible to do.

 

[rlacasse1]

Well, of course it's possible if you pull the head.

I seriously doubt it's possible without pulling the head. And I would like to see someone attempt it and let me know how it goes.

Oh shit, I totally misread this thread.

I'm a dumbass.

I thought he was planning on doing it without pulling the head.

 

[delta448]

I seriously doubt it's possible without pulling the head.

It's not.
The main bearings are a little wider than the distance between the bores.

 

[DROPthatCLUTCH]

Sure can.

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I like what i see.

 

[JusMX141]

Would've been done in three evenings if my buddy didn't lose two of the rod cap nuts.

It was remarkably simple- I rebuilt the head we used on the car prior to tearing the engine down, so that saved a good bit of time. The most time-consuming process of the whole rebuild was cleaning the damn ring grooves.

 

[Alex7747]

Why didnt you guys just pull the block?? Just curious as to why you decked it and honed it that way? And how did you not get any metal shavings in the engine??

 

[JusMX141]

Why didnt you guys just pull the block??

This was a very, very low-budget service to an engine with 172k on it which suffered from two broken valve guides leaving cylinder #1 with "0" compression. The most expensive single item of the entire job was the new OEM timing belt tensioner. We even installed a used timing belt on this engine which was donated by his '95 Talon.

Just curious as to why you decked it and honed it that way?

You're saying things like "deck" and "hone"....while I'm saying "roloc disc" and "red Scotchbrite pad".

And how did you not get any metal shavings in the engine??

Six cans of brake cleaner later.....

 

[DROPthatCLUTCH]

Rings grooves are always fun. I've done a couple on civics.

And yes, I <3 brake clean

But I'm still not for sure if I'm going to do this yet.. I'm doing my valve seals this weekend, and if it continues to burn oil after that, then it's happening.

Thanks for the info and pics! Really appreciate it.

 

[DSMnoobsause]

This was a very, very low-budget service to an engine with 172k on it which suffered from two broken valve guides leaving cylinder #1 with "0" compression. The most expensive single item of the entire job was the new OEM timing belt tensioner. We even installed a used timing belt on this engine which was donated by his '95 Talon.

You're saying things like "deck" and "hone"....while I'm saying "roloc disc" and "red Scotchbrite pad".

Six cans of brake cleaner later.....

I don't really mind if it's a car that you need to get going in a pinch. But a used T belt???? Napa has new ones in stock for $12.00

 

[PieEyedPiper]

This was a very, very low-budget service to an engine with 172k on it which suffered from two broken valve guides leaving cylinder #1 with "0" compression. The most expensive single item of the entire job was the new OEM timing belt tensioner. We even installed a used timing belt on this engine which was donated by his '95 Talon.

You're saying things like "deck" and "hone"....while I'm saying "roloc disc" and "red Scotchbrite pad".

Six cans of brake cleaner later.....

I don't really mind if it's a car that you need to get going in a pinch. But a used T belt???? Napa has new ones in stock for $12.00

In that situation, I'd take a used belt I know the history of over a NAPA belt and make sure I could get lunch for my buddy and I. Obviously the belt was in good enough shape, else something like the Napa belt would have been employed.