is it worth it to remove the complete engine when replacing pistons & rods?
 

is it worth it to remove the complete engine when replacing pistons & rods? im going to do this myself when i do do it but a local shop here told me they take the whole engine out to replace the pistons, rods, main bearings, etc. and how do i hone the cylinder after i install a block guard, am i just suppose to rough up the cylinder walls?

Re:is it worth it to remove the complete engine when replacing pistons & rods?
 

after swapping my pistons and rods (leving the mains in tact) i'd say doing it in the car is fine.

but if you're going to replace it all pull the motor

Re:is it worth it to remove the complete engine when replacing pistons & rods?
 

did you hone the cylinder walls and install a block guard?

Re:is it worth it to remove the complete engine when replacing pistons & rods?
 

If your gonna replace the bearings and everything internal, I would pull it all out. thats just my $.02

Re:is it worth it to remove the complete engine when replacing pistons & rods?
 

it just seems like alot more work pulling it out, a ton of more work. even if everything internal was replaced. the engine has 65k miles so i dout i'll replace the mains.

Re:is it worth it to remove the complete engine when replacing pistons & rods?
 

pulling the motor is cake. trying to work around everything is a pain in the ass. and how are you going to mesure clearences with everything in?

Re:is it worth it to remove the complete engine when replacing pistons & rods?
 

It's not much more work or time to pull the whole motor if you're replacing everything, it's actually easier to work on once it's out.

I'm in the middle of rebuilding my motor too.

Stan

Re:is it worth it to remove the complete engine when replacing pistons & rods?
 

Not to thread hyjack or anything but Stan what happened to your motor? I thought you just finished doing that turbo setup.

Re:is it worth it to remove the complete engine when replacing pistons & rods?
 

Pulling the motor is cake, but doing a incar rebuild is even easier. Assuming you are going to stick with a stock bore size, you can give the cylinder walls a quick hone and put your rings in and measure ring end gap just like you would out of the car. Obviously you can't bore an engine while its in the car, so stock bore size pistons are a must. On the bottom end, just buy all the exact same color bearings that come out (green/brown/yellow etc) then re-install everything. Get some plastigauge and check your mains and check your rods, All easy stuff that can be done while in the car.

Re:is it worth it to remove the complete engine when replacing pistons & rods?
 

abaz would know best....

Re:is it worth it to remove the complete engine when replacing pistons & rods?
 

thanks Abaz, ima keep stock piston size. what about INSTALLING A BLOCK GUARD, how do i go about honning the cylinders to correct anything the block guard would've stretched on the sleeves. i've read about how they need to be honned after installing the block guard.

Re:is it worth it to remove the complete engine when replacing pistons & rods?
 

dont use a block guard, post the block or leave the sleeves alone...and to hone, you use a honing tool ;)

Re:is it worth it to remove the complete engine when replacing pistons & rods?
 

what if i want to use a block guard? the kind whith curved notched on the outside to allow coolant to flow through? i wanna use a bg dammit!lol. how much psi will stock sleeves hold? if i upgrade internals i wanna push 16-18psi. maybe 20 is i'm felling wreckless.

Re:is it worth it to remove the complete engine when replacing pistons & rods?
 

if you want to hammer something into your block go ahead. Some people's stock b-series sleeves crack at like 13 psi, others hold 20 for decent periods of time. There are a bunch of factors including tuning that lead to it.

Re:is it worth it to remove the complete engine when replacing pistons & rods?
 

after fitting a block guard you will need to bore it to make sure it is true. so it is not an option for u my friend. ;D

Re:is it worth it to remove the complete engine when replacing pistons & rods?
 

yep. not worth it imo unless done correctly. also it hasn't been proven that the current designs don't still retain enough heat up top to *not* cause any problems. it's just not as proven as say, a block girdle (although im still unsure about the details).

Re:is it worth it to remove the complete engine when replacing pistons & rods?
 

why not just post the block?

Re:is it worth it to remove the complete engine when replacing pistons & rods?
 

even posting isn't as easy as it sounds. i say, sleeve or nothing imo.