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  • 1996 - 2004 SN95 Mustang -General/Talk-

Nothing like installing your engine only to have to pull it again the next day...

  • Thread starter Thread starter Airbeast
  • Start date Start date Dec 24, 2007

Airbeast

New Member
May 30, 2007
22
0
0
Johnson City, TN
Dec 24, 2007
#1
  • Dec 24, 2007
  • #1
Just figured I'd let you guys know all the fun you you're missing out on

I spun some bearings, reground the crankshaft, installed new bearings, got it back together only to find something knocking above 2000 rpm. And another unrelated problem...my speedometer goes crazy. Sitting still it'll shoot up to 150 and the odometer will run, then the needle goes all over the place. Checked the connectors and didn't notice anything abnormal. Don't know how any of that's related or if it's some sick joke this car's playing on me again. Starting to really hate this car.

Anyway, took the engine back out thinking something for sure happened to the new rod or main bearings. They ended up being all ok. So then I checked the timing. Somehow one side jumped a tooth (1 tooth retarded). I don't know if I messed up even though I remember tripple checking it. I'm guessing it happened when the tensioner wasn't all the loaded or something. So then thinking I probably destroyed my valves, I was doing some leakdown tests. All the valves are fine but found excessive blowby on one of the pistons. Took the piston out and the ring lands are shattered. Explains the slight miss this thing had before...

Anyone know a good place to get a stock oversize piston and rings? I've not measured yet but I think these are bored a size over.

I looked on directfordpars.com but they don't mention anything about oversize. They list 3 different grades and say "order by grade" Is that "grades" of oversize and how do you know what's what. Also, the rings only list one size.
 

Airbeast

New Member
May 30, 2007
22
0
0
Johnson City, TN
Dec 25, 2007
#2
  • Dec 25, 2007
  • #2
Anybody know where i could get a piston?

Guess I'll try the dealer tomorrow.
 

screamin gt

5 Year Member
Apr 9, 2007
393
6
28
central CT
Dec 27, 2007
#3
  • Dec 27, 2007
  • #3
ouch you should've done the pistons and rings and honed the block when you had it all aif I read that wrong but it sounded like part. sorry if I read it wrong but it sounds like you took everything else apart and left your old pistons in for some reason.

if you had spun bearings to begin with then your rods/ pistons associated with those bad bearings were probably shot.

now when I did mine I found an awesome guy on here that sent me 2 good used stock pistons and rods for the price of shipping. he had a bunch hopefully for you he still has some and you can find him or you'll be out some more cash cuz that stuff can get expensive.

I believe this guys name was blackhrse or something and he posts frequently. but I could be wrong about that.

good luck with this, and dont forget to buy a new set of main bearing bolt and head bolts. again. ouch
 

Airbeast

New Member
May 30, 2007
22
0
0
Johnson City, TN
Jan 6, 2008
#4
  • Jan 6, 2008
  • #4
Thanks...

Found a piston and the rings from Summit. 60$ I needed a .50mm oversize. I didn't really want to redo the rest of them. I'm selling this thing anyway and don't want to spend anymore than I have to. The engine was a Ford rebuilt engine and only had 25k on it when all this happened and all exept the broken piston looked good. Good hone as well.

I reused the rods. I checked the bore and plastigaged them and they were as good as the rest. As soon as the bearings spun, I killed it so they didn't do a lot of spinning. You could still even see the print on the rods from the back of the bearings. I didn't have a need to pull the heads and pistons(exept I didn't notice the one broken piston).

Anyway, I got the new piston in yesterday, the rest looked great and it now runs smooth as butter - exept for my strange electical bug.

http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=733651
 
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