Pistons and connecting rods - removal and refitting

Note: New connecting rod bolts and a new oil pick-up pipe gasket must be used on refitting.

Removal
1 Remove the sump and the cylinder head.

2 Unscrew the two securing bolts, and remove the oil pick-up pipe (see illustration).

29.2 Removing the oil pick-up pipe
29.2 Removing the oil pick-up pipe

Recover the gasket.

3 Unscrew the four securing nuts, and withdraw the oil baffle from the studs on the main bearing caps (see illustration).

29.3 Withdrawing the oil baffle
29.3 Withdrawing the oil baffle

4 Proceed as described in Chapter 2, Part A, Section 32, paragraphs 2 to 5.

Refitting
5 Proceed as described in Chapter 2, Part A, Section 32, paragraphs 6 to 13, noting the following points:
6 Take note of the orientation of the bearing shells during dismantling, and ensure that they are fitted correctly during reassembly.

7 When fitting the pistons, ensure that the arrow on the piston crown and the letter “F” on the face of the connecting rod are pointing towards the front of the engine.

8 Use new connecting rod bolts on reassembly, and before fitting, oil the threads and the contact faces of the bolts. Tighten the bolts in the three stages given in the Specifications at the beginning of this Chapter.

9 Refit the oil baffle, and tighten the securing nuts.

10 Clean the mating faces of the cylinder block and the oil pick-up pipe, and refit the pick-up pipe using a new gasket.

11 Refit the cylinder head and the sump.

    See also:

    Driveshaft check (Every 12 000 miles or 12 months)
    1 Carry out a thorough inspection of the driveshafts and joints as follows. 2 Jack up the front of the car and support it securely on axle stands (see “Jacking and Vehicle Support”). 3 Slowly rot ...

    General information and precautions
    General information The system is best described by dividing it into four separate sub-systems: air, fuel, engine management (EEC IV system), and ignition. Air system The air system consists of ...

    Engine oil
    Checking the engine oil Refer to the scheduled maintenance guide for the appropriate intervals for checking the engine oil. 1. Make sure the vehicle is on level ground. 2. Turn the engine off an ...