While all of the above “techniques” will and do work, how you chose to disassemble a short block largely has to do with how much of the internal parts you plan to reuse, as well as your experience in engine disassembly/assembly. One mistake on your part, could result in your damaging a part or worse yet, in the engine locking-up after you’ve spent hours assembling it, before you even realize what’s happening.
If I were simply tearing-down a short block for the block itself, all of the above techniques are fine, and several are both time and money savers. However, if I were planning on reusing any of the internal components - the connecting rods/caps, connecting rod bolts, wrist-pins, or pistons and/or were *not* having the block line-bored and all the parts “miked” (checked with a micrometer) for tolerances, I would not use any of the “tap-it-out-with-a….” techniques mentioned above - especially if you’ve never disassembled an engine before.
Engine components have tolerances measured in thousandths of an inch. This requires that many bearings and pins be pressed-on/-off -in/-out during assembly/disassembly. Specific tools are made for each of these tasks, to ensure the pressure applied to assemble and disassemble the components is distributed continuously, equally and uniformly across the surface being “pressed”.
The use of improper tools does not allow the force being applied to be distributed equally and uniformly across the surface (much less continually). Using striking blows such as with a socket or extension (versus continuous pressure created by a hydraulic press), results in distortion of the metal on one or both surfaces and can result in hairline stress fractures, or actual damage to the item if the distortion occurs near the edge of the surface.
Damage always occurs to the softer of the two materials first and to a greater degree
. Generally, piston castings are softer than wrist-pins, and wrist-pins are softer than most sockets and extensions which the tool manufactures know are going to be abused.
Ever see a valve go a round with a piston? A valve go a round with the cylinder head and valve guide when bent before destroying the piston? :fight: Questions?
Taping the connecting rod/piston assembly out using the above “extension” technique can result in damage to the connecting rod bolts, connecting rod cap, or other components if the connecting rod bolt “pops-through” - striking and nicking the cylinder wall, the piston skirt, or underside of the piston housing near the wrist-pin chamber portion of the casting. There's also the possibility of damaging the crankshaft journal if the piston moves too fast and drags/bounces the connecting rod bolt across the journal face. And then again, it might turn-out fine. So if you plan on replacing the connecting rod bolts (which many engine builders strongly recommend), it’s a matter of potential damage to the connecting rods, crankshaft, pistons, or block.
Also realize that with 150,000+ miles on the engine, there may be a significant wear-ridge at the top of the cylinder that may make it difficult to get the rings past as you begin to remove the piston. It is recommended that the ridge be removed before removing the piston. Failing to do so can result in damage to the cylinder wall and/or piston ring-grooves (as well as the piston rings, but you should never reuse rings unless you like rebuilding your engine a lot).
And if I were planning on selling the parts (pistons) to someone else, the last thing I would do is use a shade-tree technique for removing the wrist-pin. What if you knowingly damage one of the pistons - where are you going to get a replacement? And if you unknowingly damage the piston and his machine shop catches it, well, I wouldn't want to be you.
I’d be curious as to how many above have actually rebuilt their own SHO motors using the above techniques they’ve posted, if any engine at all. Okay, fess-up. Who are the shade-tree mechanics, and the shade-keyboard mechanics :type: here that have actually built an engine?
I honestly jsut want nice reliable power I dont want a lto of power... wait let me rephrase that I want as much power as I can get havign the reliability of a daily driver. Well as reliable as a sho can be for a dily driver, haha. O and speakign of help I think I need to get my subframe welded because im pretty sure its knockign around, it has all the tell tails signs of being broken. So if you have a welder....
Thanks for the advice though
relative to both the wrist-pin and crankshaft, as the crankshaft rotates and the pushes the connecting rod and piston up and down through the four-cycle process.
