Piston removal

[OGCollard]

I have searched youtube, checked this forum, and looked through my chiltons. I cannot find a clear write up on removing the pistons to change the rings...

[Brasscatz]

Pook, 4.3lxj, and a few others have good knowledge on that kind of stuff... I'm sure they'll chime in soon

[4.3LXJ]

The normal way is out the bottom, but you still have the engine in the vehicle?

[4.3LXJ]

Correction, out the top. But normally the engine is out. If you don't have a ridge, undo the rod caps, keep track of them, they have to go back the exact way they came off. Also pistons are numbered. That is how the engine is balanced, such as that is. You can remove the bearing, slip a piece of vacuum hose over the threads on the rods so you won't scar the crank and push them out. You can remove the bearing and use a piece of wood to drive the piston out gently

[OGCollard]

Yes. Engine is still in the jeep. Know of any links to anything with some pictures and such? Appreciate all the input guys!

[slvmart]

See if this helps :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSpREm5Qazk

This is just the start of a multi-part engine rebuild on youtube.

I just scanned through the 1st video, but it looks like it is pretty detailed and probably helpful for a 1st time engine rebuilder.

[Pookapotamus]

Check the links in my signature, might be a few pics in my build thread that will help, it is quite straightforward, head off, pan off and pistons out the top. It's kinda a pain working around everything on the bottom end but it's very doable! Good luck and keep us posted we will help any way we can.

[OGCollard]

I am gonna pull the pan tonight, prolly work on getting pistons out sun or mon. the overhaul video I saw had them pulling the crankshaft out, but the engine was out of the vehicle.

[beatupjeep]

I need to do this too and have also noticed a lack of a good write up for in-vehicle re-ring on the XJ I6.

My main concerns would be:

Dealing with a significant ridge at the top, if there is not enough room to push the pistons out the bottom.

Pushing the pistons out the bottom. Always easier said than done. Who will be guinea pig!?

Finding that the bores are way out of spec and must be machined.

OGCollard, where are you planning on getting the gaskets/pistons/rings?

[slvmart]

You can ream the ridge, prior to piston removal. Just make sure you do a good job of cleaning any "shavings" prior to pulling the pistons.

Amazon.com: Lisle 36500 Ridge Reamer: Automotive@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51XzhxtWpkL.@@AMEPARAM@@51XzhxtWpkL

[Pookapotamus]

You won't get the piston out the bottom, webs are too close together. They have to come out the top, I haven't seen a 4.0L with a big ridge yet, not saying it can't happen but you should be good.

[OGCollard]

Yes. Everything i read was to pull out the top. I actually on had to ream one cylinder. All the rest cleaned up nicely with carb cleaner and cotton rag. I got my rings from rock auto. Will get ring expander and ring compressor tools from advance auto.

[OGCollard]

Am not replacing just reusing pistons. Gaskets and all came from rock auto. Biggest problem i have run into with them is they will ship wrong part sometimes. Correcting it is pretty easy though. Just annoying.

[denverd1]

Can't imagine pulling them out the bottom in a straight inline engine

sent from my Samsoon S5 from the bottom of a mud hole

[OGCollard]

well all the parts came in from Rock Auto and they were all correct so that's a plus! I am still trying to figure out how to get the dang oil pan out. got starter off, jeep is off the ground. sucker just does not come out. have read many stories online of folks having this same problem. am going to jack the engine up an inch or two. Hopefully that gives me the clearance I need. in the interim I started beating on the old rotors to get them off. That seems to be working well -sarc on.

xj - 2
Mark - 0

I will keep working at it. determined to win this battle!!

[xj-jake]

What I have done in the past to remove the oil pan is use a bottle jack. Place the jack on the passenger side of the front axle right under the frame rail. Jack it up until you get plenty of clearance inside the pan. You'll know when you have enough. I also had to give the pickup tube for the oil pump a slight tweak to get the pan out but it worked for me. Had the pan off my 88 doing it this way a few times actually. Good Luck!

[Mudderoy]

well all the parts came in from Rock Auto and they were all correct so that's a plus! I am still trying to figure out how to get the dang oil pan out. got starter off, jeep is off the ground. sucker just does not come out. have read many stories online of folks having this same problem. am going to jack the engine up an inch or two. Hopefully that gives me the clearance I need. in the interim I started beating on the old rotors to get them off. That seems to be working well -sarc on.

xj - 2
Mark - 0

I will keep working at it. determined to win this battle!!

So you lifted the body or the suspension to get it up in the air?

[Pookapotamus]

I believe like tony is getting at, if you lift the by the body and let the suspension hang you get enough room to remove the pan.

[xj-jake]

You guys are both right. That's what I was doing with the jack because I had to work on mine on the ground. Lifting the body off of the suspension.

[Mudderoy]

I may have mentioned this before, but with my 6.5" lift I didn't have to do anything except remove the bolts from the pan and take it off. You're mileage my vary.

[OGCollard]

I have jeep jacked up on frame so the axle is at full droop. Removed starter. I need an inch or two. That is all.three of us have taken turns trying to fanagle it out. Yes i should have put my lift kit on by now. This would be much easier!

[4.3LXJ]

Undo the shocks and let the axle go down as far as it will go

[Mudderoy]

I have jeep jacked up on frame so the axle is at full droop. Removed starter. I need an inch or two. That is all.three of us have taken turns trying to fanagle it out. Yes i should have put my lift kit on by now. This would be much easier!

Ahhhhh, I thought you have a lift already on it.

[Roqon>]

Take out the 2 motor mount bolts, put a block of wood under the harmonic balancer and jack the engine up from there.

[xj-jake]

Take out the 2 motor mount bolts, put a block of wood under the harmonic balancer and jack the engine up from there.

Then replace mounts as long as you're in there :bacondance: