Piston Question
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Senior User
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 154
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From: USA
Piston Question
I have a question about pistons I'm hoping someone can answer. I took my pistons out for my rebuild thinking my kit came with new pistons and rods. It only came with pistons. Now I was told the piston rods have to go back together exactly the way they came out and must be put back in the same cylinder. I know which cylinders they all go in. But as far as the piston rods, I was too stupid to mark exactly the way each one was bolted on and which bottom piece goes with each top piece. I was able to put them back together by eye judging by the wear and the score marks. Will this make a difference if they are not correct? I am 90% sure I have them right. Will this cause damage to my newly rebuilt engine if I am wrong? I'm wondering if I can just put them back or whether I should just buy new rods? Any suggestions?
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 1,047
Likes: 22
From: Lacey, WA
Piston Question
Brendan,
Are you putting in new Rod bearings? It does not sound like it. I thought that an engine re-build includes new rod bearings. I believe that the rods are usually reconditioned at a Machine shop. The bearing is pressed into the small end I think and the Rod is "trued" up.
Hopefully someone else will chime in with more info.
Good luck,
Lee
Are you putting in new Rod bearings? It does not sound like it. I thought that an engine re-build includes new rod bearings. I believe that the rods are usually reconditioned at a Machine shop. The bearing is pressed into the small end I think and the Rod is "trued" up.
Hopefully someone else will chime in with more info.
Good luck,
Lee
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Senior User
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 154
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From: USA
Piston Question
I do have new rod bearings. I wasn't planning on having any work done at the machine shop other than having the piston heads put on. Can they work the pistons to erase this little mistake?
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 2,297
Likes: 1
From: Indiana
Piston Question
BEAVER, I assume your working on the 351M in your signature? Do the rods and bearing caps have numbers stamped on the sides of them? Like right below the rod bolt on the outside edge of the rod and on the outside edge of the bearing cap where it connects to the rod.
Look on both sides of each to see if they are there. These numbers will tell you which cap goes with which rod and their corresponding cylinders. The numbers go with the corresponding cylinder facing the outside of the block on that cylinder.
Look on both sides of each to see if they are there. These numbers will tell you which cap goes with which rod and their corresponding cylinders. The numbers go with the corresponding cylinder facing the outside of the block on that cylinder.
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,214
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From: Minneapolis, MN
Piston Question
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 07-Nov-02 AT 07:18 AM (EST)]Brendan,
If the caps aren't marked it would be best to have the rods reconditioned at the machine shop when they swap the pistons for you.
If you get the wrong caps on they won't be true and could cause a bind in the bearings (means early failure). You might get lucky if you bolt the caps together and mic the bores to make sure they are round but do you want to chance it?
Just my $.02
Greg
'77 F-250 Camper Special 400ci driver
'76 F-250 Supercab 360ci current project
'71 Mach I 429CJ in storage
'79 F-150 for parts
huct on foniks wurkt fer me
If the caps aren't marked it would be best to have the rods reconditioned at the machine shop when they swap the pistons for you.
If you get the wrong caps on they won't be true and could cause a bind in the bearings (means early failure). You might get lucky if you bolt the caps together and mic the bores to make sure they are round but do you want to chance it?
Just my $.02
Greg
'77 F-250 Camper Special 400ci driver
'76 F-250 Supercab 360ci current project
'71 Mach I 429CJ in storage
'79 F-150 for parts
huct on foniks wurkt fer me
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Senior User
Joined: Sep 2001
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From: USA
Piston Question
I just called the machine shop that did my heads and gave me the price on putting the piston heads on. He told me it would be $64 to recondition the full set of rods. I think I am just going to send them in. Why throw away the $1000+ I have in my new engine to save $64. Total will be about $130 with the new heads mounted. Thanks for the help guys. I don't know where I'd be without this site.
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Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,312
Likes: 1
From: Eldorado Ca. USA
Piston Question
BUY SOME ARP ROD BOLTS and have them installed while you have the rods reconditioned. YES, spend the extra money and get the RODS RECONDITIONED!!! Did you get your block checked for cracks, decked, and hot tanked? When you get your rods done, let them know you want them resized, not honed (they cut a little off the bottom of the rod, put the cap back on, and nake the propoer sized hole. DO NOT get cheap, you will regret it later.
Tony
'77 F250, 4X4 460 transplantee, "Flamer"
'74 F250. 460, "beater" now "1 dead ford"
'73 F250, "midnight auto" now a trailer for the flamer
Tony
'77 F250, 4X4 460 transplantee, "Flamer"
'74 F250. 460, "beater" now "1 dead ford"
'73 F250, "midnight auto" now a trailer for the flamer
