Piston, Connecting Rod, And Bearing Installation

Tools Required

• J 45059  Angle Meter. See Special Tools and Equipment .
• J 8037  Piston Ring Compressor. See Special Tools and Equipment .
• J 41556  Connecting Rod Guide. See Special Tools and Equipment .

Fig 1: Installing Connecting Rod Bearings
Courtesy of GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
1. Rotate the crankshaft so the connecting rod journal for the piston being installed is at Bottom Dead Center.
2. Lubricate the cylinder wall with engine oil.
3. Lubricate the piston and rings with engine oil.
4. Stagger the ring end gaps 90 degrees apart.
5. Install J 8037  onto the piston and ring assembly to compress the rings. See Special Tools and Equipment .
6. Install the connecting rod bearings into the connecting rods and caps (1).
Fig 2: Installing Connecting Rod & Piston Into Cylinder Bore
Courtesy of GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
7. Lubricate the connecting rod bearing contact surfaces with engine oil (2).
8. Install the J 41556  into the connecting rod. See Special Tools and Equipment .
Fig 3: Identifying Piston Alignment Mark
Courtesy of GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
IMPORTANT: The piston and cylinder bore have been measured and the bore has been sized for the proper clearance. Install the piston and connecting rod assembly into the proper cylinder bore. The piston alignment mark MUST face the front of the engine block (1) or the flat casting boss (2).
9. Install the connecting rod and piston into the proper cylinder bore.
Fig 4: Tapping Piston Into Block
Courtesy of GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
10. Hold the J 8037  firmly against the engine block. See Special Tools and Equipment . Using a wooden hammer handle, lightly tap the top of the piston until all of the piston rings enter the cylinder bore.
Fig 5: View Of Connecting Rod, Cap & Bolts
Courtesy of GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
11. Guide the connecting rod end onto the crankshaft journal.

    Use J 41556  to pull the connecting rod into place. See Special Tools and Equipment .

12. Install the connecting rod bearing, cap, and bolts.

    Tighten: 

    1. Tighten the connecting rod bearing cap bolts on the first pass to 25 N.m (18 lb ft).
    2. Use J 45059  to tighten the connecting rod bearing cap bolts on the second pass an additional 110 degrees. See Special Tools and Equipment .

Fig 6: Measuring Connecting Rod Side Clearance
Courtesy of GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
13. With the pistons and connecting rods installed, use a soft faced mallet and lightly tap each connecting rod assembly parallel to the crankshaft.
14. Measure the connecting rod side clearance using a feeler gauge. Connecting rod side clearance should be between 0.05-0.35 mm (0.0019-0.0137 in).