in car piston swap

[TerribleTSi]

So i blew the HG in my car on the freeway the other day and i was just going to throw in the cometic steel HG i had bought months ago then i started thinking. is it possible to swap to better pistons without getting the block rehoned. (i have some ross pistons 8.5). since i am taking the head off anyway i wanted to pull the oil pan as well and do ARP rod studs. or is it not a good idea to do that without getting the crank machined and block rehoned? my motor has almost 80k on it. so in a nut nutshell does anyone know if i can do rings,pistons, and rodstuds without getting the block and crank machined?

i was planning on doing this with the block and trans still in the car. i don't have a place to pull my motor out. if this is not a good idea i will just have to wait on it and just do the HG and head studs for for now.

 

[overdoseheroin]

So i blew the HG in my car on the freeway the other day and i was just going to throw in the cometic steel HG i had bought months ago then i started thinking. is it possible to swap to better pistons without getting the block rehoned. (i have some ross pistons 8.5). since i am taking the head off anyway i wanted to pull the oil pan as well and do ARP rod studs. or is it not a good idea to do that without getting the crank machined and block rehoned? my motor has almost 80k on it. so in a nut nutshell does anyone know if i can do rings,pistons, and rodstuds without getting the block and crank machined?

i was planning on doing this with the block and trans still in the car. i don't have a place to pull my motor out. if this is not a good idea i will just have to wait on it and just do the HG and head studs for for now.

Technically you can...BUT it is not the greatest idea. I have done it before in my Auto AWD 1g before. I bought the car locked up from massive overheating and i had a spare set of rods/pistons laying around. I ran a glaze breaker through the cylinders to get a fresh bite and put new rings and bearings in it and it ran great, perfect compression and had no problems. I got lucky. And i have done many engine builds so i knew what was crucial to look for like clearances and what not. In your case, i dont think its a great idea without getting eveything checked and done correctly, especially if you dont have alot of engine building experience. It might work for a while but it may come back and bite you in the ass, resulting in a even more costly repair. My suggestions...unless you do it right, dont do it at all.

 

[TerribleTSi]

i rebuilt my buddy's 4g63 out of car getting the crank and block machined as to spec. i'm pretty good with my engines (been building V8s for years but i love these DSMs). i'm a mechanic but since i have been doing everything to spec for the last 2 years i didn't know if it was possible with the 4g63. it's no smallblock 302 haha which i have done an in car rebuild too. but over this past months i have experienced the 4g63 is like no other 4cylinder (GO DSM). i'm good with my clearences and i know that the slightest mistakes are costly on these cars but i'm sure i can do it as long as it's possible. your success story is very encouraging

 

[overdoseheroin]

i rebuilt my buddy's 4g63 out of car getting the crank and block machined as to spec. i'm pretty good with my engines (been building V8s for years but i love these DSMs). i'm a mechanic but since i have been doing everything to spec for the last 2 years i didn't know if it was possible with the 4g63. it's no smallblock 302 haha which i have done an in car rebuild too. but over this past months i have experienced the 4g63 is like no other 4cylinder (GO DSM). i'm good with my clearences and i know that the slightest mistakes are costly on these cars but i'm sure i can do it as long as it's possible. your success story is very encouraging

If your confident and make sure you pay close attention to detail, i say why not. I also checked the crank with a mic just to make sure it wasnt out of round. I didnt really give to shits about the auto car, it was just to get me through winter... But it worked and it worked fine. So it is definately doable, not suggested, but doable.

 

[C_Keagy]

i have not done it my self. I have seen it done with no problems and done with problems. everyone i have ever talked to young and old say it it worth it to just pull the motor and do it right.

Friends that i have seen replace rods and pistons with the motor in the car have spun rod bearings a couple weeks later.

its just limited space to install bearings and i wont replace bearings unless i can see and make sure that they are in correctly.

my advice pull it out and put her together right. especially if you are going to be spending lots of money on decent pistons.

 

[overdoseheroin]

^^^^ I definately agree. With all my experiences, i know it pays to pay the first time to do it right..otherwise you pay twice as much if it fails. I only did it because i needed to get it on the road ASAP and really didnt care as long as it ran, but it did run flawlessly. If your looking for longevity i would just do the HG and studs and leave it be until you find a place and way to pull the engine to do it "right". I dont think its worth taking the chance for fear of failure, not that im judging your abilities to build engines, its not that at all, its just the fact that its alot more failsafe having everything machined and by having the engine out, makes it much easier to work with. But if you truly feel confident in doing so, and the specs check out then you shouldnt have any issues. Its your call in the end.

 

[TerribleTSi]

advice heard, i'm just gonna do the HG/studs for now. I would much rather have my car run on good workmanship rather then run on hopes haha. thanks for the input. this will also give me the opportunity to git rid of some balance shafts, upgrade the clutch/flywheel etc. thanks guys

 

[kottyking]

I'd pull the motor. If your a mechanic, you got access to all the tools and a shop to do it. There's no excuse not too.

 

[tom04841]

As long as care is taken with clearences, and you clean everything well, it should go very well. I have done it numerous times. Use plenty of assembly lube....last thing you want is a dry start, it will kill a rod bearing in a hurry.

 

[gixrman]

I removed my 2g pistons and rods and replaced them with EVO8's, honed the block in the car and put everthing back together. Runs fine.

 

[just2asian]

did you say you were gonna run a steel head gasket? I'm pretty sure you have to deck the head and the block, if i'm wrong someone please correct me.

 

[overdoseheroin]

did you say you were gonna run a steel head gasket? I'm pretty sure you have to deck the head and the block, if i'm wrong someone please correct me.

not only deck it, have a mirror finish put on the surfaces as well.

 

[TerribleTSi]

well i have been helping my friends with there motors for quite some time (on of main reasons i got the car) and we usually get the head surfaced but never get the block decked. we've never experienced and problems with HG after that. we always do ARP head studs at the time as well. and that is on 3 seperate cars.

Honing the the block in car is not what i was too worried about it was getting the crank machined/polished. last thing i wanna do is spin a bearing ugh.

yes i am a mechanic, but i work at a nissan dealer and they are pretty picky about me leaving my car in the lot for days on end with no engine. they already hate the fact how much attention i give the car at work haha DSM LIFE

 

[gixrman]

yes i am a mechanic, but i work at a nissan dealer and they are pretty picky about me leaving my car in the lot for days on end with no engine. they already hate the fact how much attention i give the car at work haha DSM LIFE

Ha ha when I was a GM tech back in the day i bought a 79 z28 with a blown clutch and had it towed to the dealership. I would sneek it in the last bay in the shop when we were slow and work on it. Well when the service mngr. found out.........