Re: JPOR: Piston removal

[Steve Friend <sfriend@xxxxxxxx>]

Most of these folks are being nice to you.  Really.  One suggestion is
to get a book on how to do it.  I say get it.  You are asking questions
that are common knowledge to a person that has done it once.  But, we
have read the book.  There are no short cuts on engine rebuilding. If it
says it is tight, then it has to be tight. Those tolerance are there for
a reason.  The clearances on the crank keep the crank working. The ridge
on the top of the cylinder cannot be done well with a dermal tool
(shutter).  You can, theoretically, install the rings without a
compression tool, but you will most likely break a ring and then you
will not know it until you are done and the engine is install.  The you
get to do it again.  

Do it right, do it once.  

SF

Obi-Wan wrote:
> 
> ****************Please Remember to snip your replies***************
> You guys will get sick of me before I'm done with this project...
> 
> Once I've got the crankshaft removed from my 401 V8, is there any
> reason why I can't remove the pistons from the bottom to check/replace
> the rings?  The TSM says I have to remove them through the top, but
> that assumes the crank is in place.
> 
> When removing through the top, the TSM says I need to ream out a
> little ridge that's along the top of the cylinder bore before the
> pistons will slide out.  What exactly is the "ridge reamer" they
> talk about, and can I just do the same job with a Dremmel tool?
> 
> The TSM says to use a ring expander to install the compression rings
> on the pistons.  What is this, and is it really necessary?
> 
> Similarly, it says to use a ring compressor to install the newly-ringed
> pistons back into the cylinders.  What is this, and is it really
> necessary?  Is it still necessary when installing pistons from the
> bottom of the cylinder (see question #1)?
> 
>                                 -- Obi-Wan
>                                    '95.5 YJ, '77 Wag (under the knife)
> 
> --
> Ben "Obi-Wan" Hollingsworth                                   obiwan@jedi.com
> Many people don't understand this type of devotion; in fact some think of our
> mindset as a sickness or as an aberration of the human mind. -- Rick Pewe
>               Anybody want to buy a Jeep XJ Dana 44 rear axle?
m