It's been awhile.

ModMustang2.3T · Jun 1, 2005

Dunno if anybody on here remembers me, but I haven't been an active member for awhile. I have a 1990 with a 87 TC block and a bunch of go fast goodies. I blew the head gasket awhile back and haven't had time to replace it. But I've caught up and now I'm gonna get back into it. I need to pop my Esslinger head and a237 onto the block.

Now for the real question.

Is there anyway to clean the pistons? I took the head off left it sitting for awhile and now the pistons are coated in black gunk and a tiny(very very small bit of rust) or should i just yank my Merkur block and swap that in? Thanks guys any info is much appreciated.

Willy0314 · Jun 1, 2005

i wouldn't reccomend cleaning them in the block. Just pull the oil pan off and pull them out. You could clean the tops of them with the wire wheel on the bench grinder, or soak them in some simple green or gas or something to get the gunk off of them. Might as well Hone the cylinders while ur in there if theres rust. I Would just buy one of those engine rebuild kits, rings bearings and gaskets, they are pretty cheap and since you've already got the motor apart....

evintho · Jun 1, 2005

Willy0314 said:
I Would just buy one of those engine rebuild kits, rings bearings and gaskets, they are pretty cheap and since you've already got the motor apart....

What he said!

ModMustang2.3T · Jun 1, 2005

Willy0314 said:
i wouldn't reccomend cleaning them in the block. Just pull the oil pan off and pull them out. You could clean the tops of them with the wire wheel on the bench grinder, or soak them in some simple green or gas or something to get the gunk off of them. Might as well Hone the cylinders while ur in there if theres rust. I Would just buy one of those engine rebuild kits, rings bearings and gaskets, they are pretty cheap and since you've already got the motor apart....

Maybe I'll just take out that engine and prepare it for a Volvo head buildup. How many guys have a working Volvo these days? I remeber everybody complaining about the magnitude of the swap and it really not being worth it in the end. Anybody have pics(besides sixfootseven's down in NYC, I've already seen)?

ModMustang2.3T · Jun 1, 2005

Willy0314 said:
i wouldn't reccomend cleaning them in the block. Just pull the oil pan off and pull them out. You could clean the tops of them with the wire wheel on the bench grinder, or soak them in some simple green or gas or something to get the gunk off of them. Might as well Hone the cylinders while ur in there if theres rust. I Would just buy one of those engine rebuild kits, rings bearings and gaskets, they are pretty cheap and since you've already got the motor apart....

One more thing what part of Western NY you from. I live below Rochester?

Shawneebear93 · Jun 1, 2005

MIKE SVOR should have his up and running soon?

mr_woodster · Jun 1, 2005

Either Stackz or fknbadfkr should be going before Mikes i believe.

As for cleaning the pitons, wipe down the bores with some oil, vaccum out the cylinders. Rotate them up one at a time and use grinder on them with something light (not wire), like a plastic-toothed disc.Try to keep it clean and always vaccum and wipe out any and all grime.

Willy0314 · Jun 1, 2005

evintho said:
What he said!

why do you laugh?

Im just outside hamburg, about 15 minutes south or buffalo. Do you see many turbo coupes for sale up by you? none in the junk yards down here, and i've seen maybe 2 for sale in the paper since i started looking last year.

I wouldn't use a wire wheel on a hand grinder, because they seem to be pretty stiff sometimes, but a bench grinder, at least the one we have, the wire side is fine. It will knock all the rust and polish up the alluminum. Dosen't dig into the metal at all. The reason i reccomend pulling them out, is because if theres rust, you need to hone it out of there. If the rust is really bad, full of pits and what not in the bores, you might need a bore job.

ModMustang2.3T · Jun 2, 2005

Willy0314 said:
why do you laugh?

Im just outside hamburg, about 15 minutes south or buffalo. Do you see many turbo coupes for sale up by you? none in the junk yards down here, and i've seen maybe 2 for sale in the paper since i started looking last year.

I wouldn't use a wire wheel on a hand grinder, because they seem to be pretty stiff sometimes, but a bench grinder, at least the one we have, the wire side is fine. It will knock all the rust and polish up the alluminum. Dosen't dig into the metal at all. The reason i reccomend pulling them out, is because if theres rust, you need to hone it out of there. If the rust is really bad, full of pits and what not in the bores, you might need a bore job.

Used to back when I first go into the game, but not anymore. I've been on here with another name sincw way back into late 99 early 2000.

freakintiger · Jun 2, 2005

Willy0314 said:
i wouldn't reccomend cleaning them in the block. Just pull the oil pan off and pull them out. You could clean the tops of them with the wire wheel on the bench grinder, or soak them in some simple green or gas or something to get the gunk off of them. Might as well Hone the cylinders while ur in there if theres rust. I Would just buy one of those engine rebuild kits, rings bearings and gaskets, they are pretty cheap and since you've already got the motor apart....

I have often heard of this type of rebuild, my question is how you push the connecting rod and piston out of the bore with the crankshaft in the way, I have wondered about this literally for years, so please tell me the process.
Thanks!

Willy0314 · Jun 3, 2005

well, I cant speak from experiance for the 2.3 because I haven't had one apart yet, so I dont know how far down the bore skirts go, so im not sure how much room there is to work with. However I have done this before. If you cant snake your hand around in there to push things out threw the top, then after you remove the rod bearing caps, thread the nuts back on to the con-rod bolts until they are flush with the end of the bolt. Then take the wooden end of a hammer, (the handle) and place that against the nut on the con-rod. Then just tap on the other end of the hammer to push it out. Just becareful not to go too crazy and knock things around and scratch up the crank. You could even put a socket and an extension onto the Conrod nut if you wanted to, and just tap on that with a hammer. I've done it prolly about 8 times now, never had a problem.

It's been awhile.

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