Ford XL3Z-6108-EA Piston

Before removing pistons, one should look for the ridges at the upper end of ring travel in the cylinders and scrape out all Carbon deposits and ridge with a ridge reamer to avoid piston breakage. Following the removal of the ridges, align the engine such that the crankshaft is in the upward position and take at measurement of connecting rod end play; the acceptable range is if outside this range, new connecting rods might be required. It is therefore important to label the connecting rods and caps so that they can be recognize easily and then remove the connecting rod cap nuts or bolts but carefully to avoid dropping the bearing insert. For diesel engines use a short piece of the hose to shield the crankshaft journal as well as the cylinder wall when removing the rods. Drive the connecting rod/piston assembly out through the top of the crankcase if possible or with a wooden or plastic hammer handle if not, and do the same for the remaining cylinders. When the crankshaft has been removed, replace the connecting rod caps and bearing inserts; the original inserts should be left in position, as they shield the new ones from potentially detrimental contact. The pistons and connecting rods are then ready for inspection and perhaps overhaul of the entire part of the engine. When replacing the piston rings examine the ring end gaps and make sure that the side tolerance of the piston ring is acceptable. For easy identification of the matching piston/connecting rod assemblies, and new ring sets, organize them in a neat manner as shown below. Take the top ring and slide it into the first cylinder leaving it parallel to four walls and now fit it to check the end clearance with feeler gauges. Place the oil control ring in first, then go on to the middle and the top ring with the respective indentations up. Space the piston ring gaps at 90-degrees with the cylinder and apply lubricant to the piston and the rings before placing the piston with the use of the ring compressor into the cylinder. It is recommended to check the oil clearance of the connecting rod bearing with the Plastigage after instilling the piston/connecting rod assembly, after making sure that the bearing surface is free from oil. If the clearance is not as specified make sure the bearing inserts and journal diameter is correct before changing any part. It is then removed by scraping, the bearing faces are coated with grease, a new bolts are tightened to the rod cap if fitted. Keep repeating the process for the remaining assemblies as well as making sure they clean and correctly aligned. Last of all, turn the crankshaft clockwise with your hands to ensure that there is no binding and again measure the connecting rod end play to ensure it is on standard measurement.