Can I change the rods or pistons by just cranking the crank till its all the way down on the selected piston and just unblot the rod and pull the piston out? From the bottom...or push out the top too I guess.

 

You can unbolt the rods from the crank and push the pistons out the top. You have to remove the head first though

 

and the oil pan

 

You will also need to hone the cylinder walls so the piston rings will seat properly.

 

can be done.........head has to come off.........

 

Easy to do. Lift the head, take off oil pan, oil pickup and gurdle. Then just unscrew the rods/caps and pop the piston up. When you do hone the head, make sure you do it right, or you will cause yourself more headache than its worth.
EVIL

 

hone the head??
maybe too much for you eh?

 

Does a shop have to hone it....Honeing (sp?) is just a real lite abrading right...boring is the more elaboratoe one where they take of the 0.25 or whatever? Honeing just makes the surface nice and smooth again right...so can the engine stay in for this to get done is what I'm wondering?

 

technically you can hone the cylinder walls yourself while the engine is still inside the car. all your doing is removing the "shine" on the cylinder walls to help the new piston rings seat.

you will need a cylinder hone or glaze breaker. it's not the best was or doind it but it can be done and it works ok.

 

is it absoleutely necessary to hone the block when getting new pistons? or is it just recommended? thanks

 

it's deffinatly recommended especially if you have alot of miles on the engine.

if you dont it will take twice as long for the piston rings to properly seat. and even then they might not seat properly and you will have oil consumption.

if you do it yourself with the engine in the car it should take about an hour to complete one all the pistons are out. just make sure you clean the cylinder walls throughly before installing the new pistons and rings.