Removal and Installation

Cylinder Block, Piston And Connecting Rod Assembly:

PISTON AND CONNECTING ROD - REMOVAL

Piston Marking:

1. Remove top ridge of cylinder bores with a reliable ridge reamer before removing pistons from cylinder block. Be sure to keep tops of pistons covered during this operation. Mark piston with matching cylinder number.

Identify Connecting Rod To Cylinder:

2. Remove oil pan. Inspect connecting rods and connecting rod caps for cylinder identification. Identify them if necessary.
3. Valve relief toward manifold side of engine.
4. Squirt hole on connecting rod must face timing belt end of engine.
5. Pistons and connecting rods must be removed from top of cylinder block. Rotate crankshaft so that each connecting rod is centered in cylinder bore.

Connecting Rod Protectors:

6. Remove connecting rod cap. Install connecting rod bolt protectors on connecting rod bolts. Push each piston and rod assembly out of cylinder bore. Be careful not to nick crankshaft journals.
7. After removal, install bearing cap on the mating rod.

PISTON AND CONNECTING ROD ASSEMBLY - INSTALLATION
1. Before installing pistons, and connecting rod assemblies into the bore, besure that compression ring gaps are staggered so that neither is in line with oil ring rail gap.

Piston Ring End Gap Position:

2. Before installing the ring compressor, make sure the oil ring expander ends are butted and the rail gaps located as shown.
3. Immerse the piston head and rings in clean engine oil, slide the ring compressor, over the piston and tighten with the special wrench. Be sure position of rings does not change during this operation.

Piston Markings:

4. The valve cut should be toward the manifold side of the engine.

Connecting Rod Protectors:

5. Install connecting rod bolt protectors on rod bolts.

Installing Piston:

6. Rotate crankshaft so that the connecting rod journal is on the center of the cylinder bore. Insert rod and piston into cylinder bore and guide rod over the crankshaft journal.
7. Tap the piston down in cylinder bore, using a hammer handle. At the same time, guide connecting rod into position on connecting rod journal.
8. Install rod caps. Install nuts on cleaned and oiled rod bolts and tighten nuts to 54 N-m (40 ft. lb.) Plus 1/4 turn.