How hard is it to change the pistons/rods/crank in our cars? Also, I assume you have to take the head off but for some reason I heard you can do it from the crank side. This doesn't make sense but that is what I heard. Also, besides the FSM, does the haynes/chilton manual have a good description of this?

Steve

Steve,
You should get a FSM (your best friend when working on your car!!).
The pistons are removed/installed from the top(head removed). Are you upgrading?:D
Chris

Originally posted by Projnx2000
Steve,
You should get a FSM (your best friend when working on your car!!).
The pistons are removed/installed from the top(head removed). Are you upgrading?:D
Chris

I have a FSM. I know that it recommends going from the top. I have not taken a SR20 apart before but "heard" that you could do it from below. I don't really trust this so I thought I would ask. I have rebuilt a L16 before. The FSM seems to be written for people trained to read it. Haynes and Chiltons seem to be written from a laymans perspective. I may be purchasing a SR16VE and upgrading it to an sr20ve.

Steve

Steve, i have a haynes and it actually has a section describing how to pull the entire block apart. when we get together next, just remind me to bring it to show ya. :)

Originally posted by Stiletto
Steve, i have a haynes and it actually has a section describing how to pull the entire block apart. when we get together next, just remind me to bring it to show ya. :)

Cool. I would love to see that.

Steve

You cannot pull the pistons out from below. There is not clearance to do go. The bottom of the hole is not entirely round.

Originally posted by Ben98SentraSE
You cannot pull the pistons out from below. There is not clearance to do go. The bottom of the hole is not entirely round.

Thanks, I suspected that I was told wrong. How is your rebuild going? Has it been difficult? Are you using a FSM and a Haynes/Chiltons?

Steve

Originally posted by Ben98SentraSE
You cannot pull the pistons out from below. There is not clearance to do go. The bottom of the hole is not entirely round.

Who told you this Ben?

I've never had a problem taking them out from the bottom of the bore.

Originally posted by 98sr20de
How hard is it to change the pistons/rods/crank in our cars? Also, I assume you have to take the head off but for some reason I heard you can do it from the crank side. This doesn't make sense but that is what I heard. Also, besides the FSM, does the haynes/chilton manual have a good description of this?

Steve

Geez, it could be done, but what a major PITA. It would be much easier to pull the engine and do it right.

Well from what little knowledge I have with building SR20DE motors, I have never been able to get the pistons out from the bottom of the motor. If someone else can do so please teach me this trick.

I don't think it's possible George, at least from what I've seen. Although you did it! Odd.

Originally posted by Andreas Miko
Well from what little knowledge I have with building SR20DE motors, I have never been able to get the pistons out from the bottom of the motor. If someone else can do so please teach me this trick.

Well perhaps I'm wrong. It has been 3 years since I built my engine. I also had the engine overbored 1mm by JWT, so perhaps this make a difference. I just could have sworn I had them come through the bottom.

Originally posted by Geo91SER


Who told you this Ben?

I've never had a problem taking them out from the bottom of the bore.

Whoa, I'm a BAD monkey. It has been entirely too long since I built my engine. I just double checked and of course you cannot take them out the bottom. The bearing journals are in the way. A thousand apologies.

I guess the memory is the second thing to go.

Originally posted by Geo91SER


Whoa, I'm a BAD monkey. It has been entirely too long since I built my engine. I just double checked and of course you cannot take them out the bottom. The bearing journals are in the way. A thousand apologies.



I've seen a few sucessfully remove pistons from the bottom, of course it leaves a nasty hole in the case and you can't do much with it once their out ;)

Originally posted by mschoenholz
I've seen a few sucessfully remove pistons from the bottom, of course it leaves a nasty hole in the case and you can't do much with it once their out ;)

Ah yes, those would be the lightweight engines. When you eliminate some material from the block, eliminate parts of the piston and most of a rod, it does tend to make things lighter. ;)

How is my rebuild going? Well my dad brought that cool profilometer home from work to see how rough the spun bearing journals were. We realized that hey, there's basically no fillet left on that rod journal! That crank is toast. Motor #2 it's barely got any material worn away. I believe it was just under the 1.8880 spec, like 2-4 ten-thousandths, so it will be salvageable. My dad is scared to reuse that rod though. If it's even the least bit out of round it's toast. May end up using a rod from the motor with a bad crank. Not sure yet. Still need to get a ridge reamer to get the pistons and rods out to measure.

Question- can I use JB Weld on the tops of the pistons to increase compression? :D

Originally posted by Geo91SER


Well perhaps I'm wrong. It has been 3 years since I built my engine. I also had the engine overbored 1mm by JWT, so perhaps this make a difference. I just could have sworn I had them come through the bottom.
I read your article in the se-r.net and it is a very good article on rebuilding your motor, people should check it out.
Sean