I have about 50% compression in cylinder # 3, and live in an apartment for at least the next 6 months. No access to a garage and can't pull the motor in my apartment complex, but can work on the car w/o getting too much crap from the landlord.

If I got a flexible honing tool to hone the cylinders w/ a power drill, would changing the pistons/rods with the motor in the car be feasible or is this a stupid idea?

I want to get my car running right again, but for now I'm stuck and not sure what to do.

Engine is an f23a1 with approx. 68,000 miles. All advice appreciated, thanks in advance.

 

take the motor out, rent a motor stand, borrow one, buy one. save u time and money.

 

Its definately feasible. I have replaced main and rod bearings with the motor in and changed the oil pump at the same time. I even could have easily pulled the crank that time since I ended up changing the tranny clutch right after I got done with the bearings and pump. Its kind of a pain checking clearances and assembling a motor while laying on your back but not that bad. It definatley saved me some time but I was only doing bottom end stuff I did not have to pull the head for.

 

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yeah its easy! i did it on my B16.
Take the head off, jack the car up real high and put some stands under it, GET ON YOUR BACK and take the sump off. it is now possible to take the bolts out of each rod and slide the rod and piston out the top of the block. do each piston at a time and remember which way the rod caps go round when you put it back together. NO NEED TO DROP THE CRANK!!!!! it took me a day to do mine and i reseated the valves and fitted new valve seals whilst the head was off.

 

sorry, it said there was an error so clicked again.

 

the deciding factor should be the condition of the headgasket sealing surface. it's a waste if your block needs to be decked.

 

thanks for the info, this sounds do-able, the block should be OK (knocks on wood) there have been no overheating issues at all, tho I am slightly concerned about the cylinder wall for # 3.

for those who have done this, I'm guessing you replaced the rod bearings at the same time and plastigauged it to ensure proper clearance, is that right?

this would be so much easier if I had a garage

edit: spell check

 

up?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by notoriousB &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
for those who have done this, I'm guessing you replaced the rod bearings at the same time and plastigauged it to ensure proper clearance, is that right?

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Yes and yes

 

Not if youre going to hone it..All the metal parts will fall inside your bloc and will fed up when u start it up...If you hone u will have to clean the block and make sure there are no metal parts inside, and for that you have to take the block out....

If you dont hone it then u can install the pistons w/o taking the motor out.

 

Definately check the cylinder walls, if they don't look perfect, you need to take the block out and have it honed.