Inspection and Reconditioning (Rev 1/97)
47
Crankshaft Deflection
5. Inspect the crankshaft timing gear for chipped or worn
teeth and for any cracks on or between the teeth. To
remove the gear use a standard gear puller. Install the
gear by pressing it onto the crankshaft. Apply a sealant
to the inside of the gear and to the outside of the crank-
shaft when installing the gear to prevent oil leaks.
Pistons
1. Remove and discard the old piston rings.
2. Remove the wrist pin circlips and push the wrist pin out
of the piston. If it is difficult to push the wrist pin out of
the piston, heat the piston in hot water that is at 120 to
140 F (49 to 60 C).
NOTE: Do not clamp a connecting rod in a vise with
steel jaws. Instead, use a vise that has soft jaws, or use
soft jaw covers. Clamping a connecting rod in the
steel jaws of a vise will put small nicks in the connect-
ing rod. These nicks raise the stress on the connecting
rod and can cause the connecting rod to break while
the engine is running.
3. Remove the carbon from the top of the piston but do
not scratch the piston. Clean the piston and inspect it
for damage. Replace the piston if it has any cracks, or if
the top of the piston is significantly burned or damaged.
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4. Measure the outside diameter of each piston. This mea-
surement should be taken perpendicular to the wrist pin
at a specific distance, called “A”, above the bottom of
the piston skirt. Refer to Specifications for the sug-
gested values for distance “A”. If the piston is smaller
than the wear limit (refer to Specifications), replace the
piston.
Distance “A”
Measuring Piston
5. Clean the ring groves with a ring groove cleaner. Be
careful to avoid scraping any metal off the piston. If a
ring groove cleaner is not available, break a used ring
and sharpen the end. This can be used to clean the ring
grooves.
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