Hello all, I just got back from picking up the biggest DEAL of the Year as far as I'm concerned:

93 B18A1 Freshly Hot tanked, Bored .25 over and Honed...

Along with New PCTs pressed on Pr4 Rods, New In Box ITR Oil Pump, LS Crank, Mains, Main Seal, and misc. bolts and water Neck, Oil pan, etc....

$400

Everything is New and never assembled, but here's my Canundrum.....

The PCTs were pressed onto the Pr4 Rods without the Pistons being grind open to allow clearance.... As far as I recall, the Rule of Thumb with LS/VTECs is to open up the pistons slightly to allow the Rod to fit...

Last time I did this setup (only std bore PCTs) I brought along the factory Pr4 piston and asked that the machine shop grind the piston to same opening size as Pr4 so I can ensure proper fitting of the Rod...

Well, the seller's machine shop did NOT do that, rather, they just pressed them on...

There is VERY little space in between the rod and piston were you can see the Wrist Pin, BARELY.... I am going to take the Rods in for resizing and installing of ARP rod bolts anyways, but should I go ahead and have them remove the Wrist Pin and grind open the piston as it should be done???

Or is this something that does Not necessarily cause any issues with the rotating assemblies performance...

One last thing, IF the machine shop needs to do this, since the Wrist Pins were already pressed, and need removal, Are they pretty much useless now, or can they be Repressed when the rods are complete....

Also, I am having the Rods glassbeaded and Hot Tanked....

Thanks again....

 

To have the rods glass beads they need to be pressed apart.If you were to bead them assembled the bead would get between the pins and piton and gall.It also difficult to install the bolts with the pistons on.Now here's the bad news.There is a good chance the piston will get damaged pressing them off.Not always,but it happens.But if there's not not enough side clearance they're no good as they are.
Glenn

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by NJIN BUILDR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Now here's the bad news.There is a good chance the piston will get damaged pressing them off.Not always,but it happens.But if there's not not enough side clearance they're no good as they are.
Glenn</TD></TR></TABLE>

That's what I did NOT want to hear.... The Pistons are going to be removed For SURE, because I need to Glass Bead and Hot Tank them.... Also installing the ARP Rod Bolts and Resizing the Rod will recquire the Pistons to be seprated as well...

Hopefully my Machinist will be able to seperate them without damaging the PCTs... On a lighter note: I remember when he removed the Stock LS Pistons from the LS Rods on my last LS/VTEC, when I returned home with the Pistons The LS Pistons looked fine, so hopefully my machinist will pull through again...

Also, Will the Wrist Pins be reusable after the rods are redone and Pistons grinded open?? Not sure if once they are pressed they are no longer good once removed...

 

As long as the pin don't gall on the way out they will be fine.Its usually not a problem.
Glenn