Ghetto Rebuild with motor in the car? Who has done it?
 

I just bought a 90 Talon TSI for $1000. overall Pretty nice - Perfect interior - mostly shiny exterior - lots of new parts including the turbo!

The problem is one of the pistons has low compression - the car runs good and feels strong but smokes and blows the dipstick out of the tube!

anyway, I don't know if I'm gonna be able to pull the motor for a while because I can't be in my garage very long new rule- long story ::). I just got rid of 2 other cars that have been in the garage for a year and lots of parts!

Anyways, has anyone ever just pulled off the head and the oil pan and put some new rods, bearings, and pistons in with the stock bore? just hone it like crazy?

Re: Ghetto Rebuild with motor in the car? Who has done it?
 

Well if you have limited time and space you gotta do what you gotta!

Re: Ghetto Rebuild with motor in the car? Who has done it?
 

pretty common to do, no sweat.

pull the head off, drop the pan, pop the bad piston out the top, hone, ridge ream as necessary, and reinstall. go really ghetto and re-use the rod bearings if they look okay.

Re: Ghetto Rebuild with motor in the car? Who has done it?
 

I went 13.09 on my Z6 doiung the cheapass rebuild. #3 hole was SMOOTH but still held 160 psi cranking .

Re: Ghetto Rebuild with motor in the car? Who has done it?
 

thats how we do it at work if some one comes in with bad rings, just think of the engine bay as your engine stand

Re: Ghetto Rebuild with motor in the car? Who has done it?
 

Ive done it, so it has to be a ghetto thing to do.

Re: Ghetto Rebuild with motor in the car? Who has done it?
 

Done it in a GSR worked great.

Re: Ghetto Rebuild with motor in the car? Who has done it?
 

I'm planning on doing this to my car...

Well, I am going to pull the pistons out of there and if the cylinders need work then I'll pull the engine, but if not I'm just going to hone and throw the new stuff in there...

Why take it out if you don't have to right? Less ---- to worry about and less down time!

Re: Ghetto Rebuild with motor in the car? Who has done it?
 

No prob!! Just clean it, clean it some more and when you think its clean, clean it again. Be carefull installing the pistons as usual, put some rubber caps on the rod bolts and just be extra careful like i said and not to ding the crank.

Re: Ghetto Rebuild with motor in the car? Who has done it?
 

Cool thanks guys, I knew it could be done just needed some support from the ghetto! I bought one of the cheap rod tools from Summit to keep it from hitting the side and the crank ;D. If this works well I gonna be Stoked!