FREE REPAIR MANUALS & LABOR GUIDES 1982-2013 Vehicles
Courtesy of Operation CHARM: Car repair manuals for everyone.

Piston: Service and Repair

11 25 530 Removing and installing/replacing all pistons (N54, N54T)

Special tools required:





Warning!
Protective goggles must be worn when working on the piston pin circlip.

Important!
If pistons, connecting rods and bearing shells are reused, they must be reinstalled in the same places.





Individual connecting rod replacement is not permitted; they are classified by weight group.
Connecting rods and connecting rod bearing caps are marked with the same pairing letters; mixing them up will result in engine damage.
Piston and gudgeon pins are paired and must not be fitted individually.





Necessary preliminary tasks:
^ Remove engine
^ Mount engine on assembly stand
^ Remove intake plenum
^ Remove cylinder head
^ Remove oil sump
^ Remove oil pump





Note:
In event of heavy oil carbon residue:

Carefully remove oil carbon residue from cylinder wall.

Note:
Graphic shows N46.





Do not release screw (1).

Oil spray nozzle (2) must not be maladjusted or bent.

If necessary, readjust (risk of damage).





Release connecting rod bolts (1).

Tightening torque 11 24 1AZ.

Remove connecting rod bearing cap (2) in direction of arrow.

Important!
Connecting rods and connecting rod bearing caps are marked with the same pairing letters; mixing them up will result in engine damage.





Screw special tool 11 8 590 into big end of connecting rod.

Press out connecting rod and piston to cylinder head side.

Important!
Risk of damage to oil spray nozzle.

Preliminary work:
Secure special tool 11 8 561 in vice.





Secure piston (1) with connecting rod to special tool 11 8 561.





Warning!
Safety goggles must be worn for the next operation.





Warning!
Safety goggles must be worn.

To lever out piston circlip (1), support with special tool 11 5 464 on piston (2).

Lever out piston circlip (1) with special tool 11 5 464 in direction of arrow.

Installation note:
If necessary, replace connecting rods.





Important!
Connecting rods are divided into weight classes and are only available as a set.
Old and new connecting rods must not be installed in mixed combinations.

Installation note:
The gudgeon pin must be able to be pressed through the liner by hand with little force and must not display any significant play.





Measuring piston installation clearance:

Measure piston diameter with micrometer at measuring point A from bottom edge of piston and offset at 90° to the axis of the gudgeon pin.

Piston diameter at measuring point A.

Adjust micrometer to cylinder bore of engine block. Set internal calliper on micrometer to zero. Measure bottom, centre and top of cylinder bore in direction of travel and direction of engine rotation.

Diameter of cylinder bore.

Piston installation clearance.

Total permissible wear tolerance.

Installation note:





If necessary, replace piston.





Warning!
Safety goggles must be worn.

Important!
The opening of the piston pin circlip must be installed on the piston in the 6 o'clock position.
Risk of damage!

Insert piston circlip (2) into groove of special tool 11 8 562.

Bring piston circlip (2) into working position (1).





Warning!
Safety goggles must be worn.

Slide on special tool 11 8 563 up to piston pin circlip (2)

Special tools 11 8 562 and 11 8 563 are prepared.





Warning!
Safety goggles must be worn.

Opening on special tool 11 8 562 must point to piston crown; only then can special tool 11 8 563 be fitted correctly.

If the special tools 11 8 562 and 11 8 563 are not positioned correctly, the piston pin circlip must be driven in using a plastic hammer in direction of arrow.

Note:
See graphic.





Piston pin circlip is correctly installed when opening (1) points downwards.





Note:
B 30.

Install all piston rings.

Install all bearing shells.

Coat piston and piston rings with oil.

Pre-install piston (2) in special tool 11 8 141.

Screw on special tool 11 8 590 in connecting rod (2).

Installation note:
Make sure protective lugs (1) on special tool 11 8 590 are positioned correctly and check for damage.





Insert piston with connecting rod in cylinder.

Important!
Risk of damage to oil spray nozzle.
Risk of breakage of piston rings.
Press in piston in direction of arrow with finger pressure only, do not drive in.

Insert piston so that arrow on piston crown points to camshaft drive.

Press in piston (1) with special tool 11 8 141.





Important!
Connecting rod and connecting rod bearing cap are marked with pairing letters (1) and must not be mixed up.
Swapping or incorrectly fitting the connecting rod bearing cap on the big end will result in engine damage.

Apply a light coat of oil to crank pin.

Assemble connecting rod and crankshaft journal.

Screw off special tool 11 8 560 in anti- clockwise direction.








Fit bearing caps (2) so that pairing letters match up.

Install new connecting rod bolts (1).

Tightening torque 11 24 1AZ.





Adjust torsion angle of connecting rod with special tool 00 9 120 (see illustration).

Tightening torque 11 24 1AZ.

Assemble engine.