Piston, Connecting Rod, and Bearing Replacement

Removal Procedure
1. Relieve the fuel pressure. Refer to Relieving Fuel Pressure in Powertrain Management.

Caution: Refer to Battery Disconnect Caution in Service Precautions.

2. Disconnect the negative battery cable.
3. Raise and support the vehicle. Refer to Vehicle Lifting.
4. Drain the engine coolant. Refer to Draining and Filling Cooling System in Cooling System.
5. Place a drain pan beneath the engine oil pan to catch the escaping oil.
6. Remove the engine oil drain plug and gasket in order to catch the escaping oil.
7. Remove the fourteen bolts and two nuts and the engine oil pan from the vehicle.





8. Remove the oil pump strainer bracket bolt, the oil pump strainer bolt and the oil pump strainer (2) from the cylinder block.
9. Remove the oil pump strainer seal (3).
10. Lower the vehicle.
11. Remove the timing belt and the belt tensioner Refer to Timing Belt Tensioner Replacement.
12. Remove the intake manifold and the Throttle Body Fuel Injection (TBI) Unit. Refer to Intake Manifold Replacement.
13. Remove the exhaust manifold from the cylinder head. Refer to Exhaust Manifold Replacement.
14. Remove the distributor from the cylinder head. Refer to Distributor Replacement in Powertrain Management.
15. Remove the following components from the cylinder head:
^ The four nuts
^ The seal washers
^ the cylinder head cover

Important:
^ Mark the cylinder number on all of the pistons, connecting rods and connecting rod bearing caps.
^ When disassembling, keep all of the parts in order by the cylinder and return them to the correct cylinder.





16. Remove the following components from the cylinder block.
^ The eight cylinder head bolts
^ The cylinder head with the gasket





17. Remove the rod bearing caps.

Notice: Install a piece of hose over the threads of the rod bolts. This is to prevent damage to the bearing journal, the cylinder walls or rod bolt threads when installing the connecting rod. Remove hose after connecting rod is in place.

18. Install a piece of hose over the threads of the rod bolts (1).

Important: Decarbon the top of the cylinder bore before attempting to remove the piston from the cylinder.

19. Remove the piston and the connecting rod assembly out through the top of the cylinder bore.

Installation Procedure

^ Tools Required
- J 8037 Piston Ring Compressor





1. Apply the engine oil to the following parts:
^ The pistons
^ The rings
^ The cylinder walls
^ The connecting rod bearings
^ The crankshaft

Notice: Install a piece of hose over the threads of the rod bolts. This is to prevent damage to the bearing journal, the cylinder walls or rod bolt threads when installing the connecting rod. Remove hose after connecting rod is in place.

2. Install the piece of hose over the threads of the rod bolts (1).





3. Point the arrow mark on the piston head to the crankshaft pulley side when installing the piston assembly into the cylinder bore.
4. Install the upper connecting rod bearing to the connecting rod.
5. Install the piston assembly into the cylinder bore.
6. Guide the connecting rod into place on the crankshaft.
7. Install a J 8037. Ensure that the J 8037 sits firmly against the cylinder block until all of the piston rings have entered the cylinder bore.
Using a hammer handle, gently tap the piston head to install the piston into the bore.
8. Install the lower connecting rod bearing to the connecting rod cap.
9. Install the connecting rod cap to the connecting rod.

Notice: Refer to Fastener Notice in Service Precautions.

10. Secure the connecting rod cap with two connecting rod cap nuts.
Tighten the connecting rod cap nuts to 35 Nm (26 ft. lbs.).
11. Install the cylinder head to cylinder block. Refer to Cylinder Head Replacement.
12. Install the cylinder head cover. Secure the cylinder head cover with four for new seal washers and nuts.
Tighten the cylinder head cover washers and nuts to 5 Nm (44 inch lbs.).
13. Install the timing belt and the belt tensioner Refer to Timing Belt Tensioner Replacement.
14. Install the distributor to the cylinder head. Refer to Distributor Replacement in Powertrain Management.
15. Install the intake manifold and the Throttle Body Fuel Injection (TBI) Unit. Refer to Intake Manifold Replacement.
16. Install the exhaust manifold from the cylinder head. Refer to Exhaust Manifold Replacement.





17. Install the oil pump strainer (2) and the engine oil pan. Refer to Oil Pump Replacement.
18. Refill the engine oil to specifications.
19. Connect the negative battery cable.