3 replies to this topic

[SolarB]

Has anyone removed and fitted pistons to their con rods?
I had a go last night and managed to remove the pins from a set of 1300 rods but it required a lot of heat and a fair amount of hammering. The old pistons are scrap but I need a sure fire method of fitting my nice new pistons.

[minibazzer]

This kind of work is typically left to the specialists. The gudgeon pins are an interferance fit and require a specialist tool in order to correctly press them in. You could risk damaging the piston, pin or con rod by trying to heat and hammer them back in. Someone like Rob Walker would do this kind of job.

[Cooperman]

You do need to heat the end of the rod to the correct temperature, ideally freeze the gudgeon pin and use a hydraulic press.

[MRA]

If you have bent your conrods then they too will be scrap

Typically an induction heater is used to correctly heat the small end, if you overheat them they will relax and will not be able to hold the pin in place, it will walk in to the bore and that will destroy your block

I recomend that you take your conrods to an company specialising in engine remanucturing to get the conrods checked for straightness, whilst they are at it get them to fit your new pistons, make sure you let them know it is an A series and 2 rods are reversed, ie 1 & 4 are the same way round and 2 & 3 are the other way around. They should know this, but it is too late after the event