Nissan PULSAR N13 Series / ASTRA LD Series. Manual - part 14

Engine

 

57

 

 

(23) Lower the vehicle to the ground and securely 

tighten the wheel nuts.

 

10.    PISTONS, CONNECTING RODS AND 

CYLINDER BORES

 

Special Equipment Required:

 

To  Inspect   —   Micrometer,   cylinder  measuring

 

gauge

 

To Remove Ridge from Bores — Ridge removal tool

 

To Deglaze Cylinder Bores — Cylinder surfacing

 

hone

 

To Install — Piston ring compressor

 

TO REMOVE

 

(1)  Remove the engine sump and oil pump 

pickup pipe as previously described. 

(2)  Remove  the cylinder  head as  previously 

described. 

(3)  Mark the relationship of the pistons to their 

respective cylinders and the bearing caps to their 
respective connecting rods by letter stamps or centre 
punch marks. 

(4)  Measure each connecting rod for side clear- 

ance on the crankpin. Refer to the illustration. If the 
clearance exceeds the Specifications a new connecting 
rod will have to be installed on assembly. 

(5)  With number one cylinder on the bottom of 

its stroke,  remove  the bearing  cap  bolts  and  the 
bearing cap. 

Wipe the bearing shell and the exposed part of the 

journal with a piece of clean lint free cloth, insert a 
piece of Plastigage across the journal, install the 
bearing cap and tighten the bolts to the specified 
torque.

 

Remove the bolts and cap and measure (with the 

scale on the packet) the spread width of the Plastigage 
to determine the bearing clearance.

 

Compare the measurement to the Specifications 

and if the bearing clearance exceeds the limit, install a 
new bearing on assembly.

 

Repeat the procedure on the remaining cylinders 

and note each individual bearing clearance for assem- 
bly purposes.

 

NOTE: Do not rotate the engine while the 
Plastigage is in position or false readings 
will result.

 

Dismantled view of the  piston and  connecting rod 

components. 

(6)  Remove each bearing cap in turn, keeping 

them in order, and using a wooden hammer shaft, 
push each piston assembly from the cylinder block 
and install its respective bearing cap.

 

NOTE: Before removing the pistons, remove 
the ridge from the top of the cylinder bore 
using a ridge removal tool.

 

(7)  Remove the piston rings over the top of the 

piston and discard the piston rings.

 

Checking the connecting rod side clearance using feeler 

gauges. 

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Engine

 

 

TO INSPECT PISTONS AND CONNECTING

 

RODS

 

(1)  Remove all carbon deposits from the bottom 

of the ring grooves with a ring groove cleaning tool or 
a broken ring. Use caution to avoid  scoring the 
bottom and sides of the ring groove.

 

NOTE; An ideal method of removing carbon 
deposits from pistons is to immerse the 
piston in a tank of chemical cleaner. After 
soaking, the carbon can be readily hosed off 
with water. This method minimizes the 
chance of damage through scraping, particu- 
larly with aluminum alloy components.

 

(2)  Inspect the pistons for scuff marks, scoring or 

burning. 

(3)  Inspect the ring grooves of the pistons for 

excessive wear. Using a new piston ring, check the 
clearances between the side of the ring and the ring 
lands of the piston with feeler gauges. Compare the 
side clearance with the Specifications. 

(4)  Inspect each pair of bearing shells for wear 

especially on an outer edge. If one or more pairs of 
bearing shells are worn on the outer edge it is possible 
that the connecting rod is bent. 

(5)  Before renewing a piston or connecting rod, 

inspect the cylinder block to see if it requires reboring 
or honing. 

If the cylinder block requires reboring, new over- 

size pistons will have to be installed.

 

(6)  If a  piston   or connecting rod   is  to  be 

renewed, a special tool will be required to press the 
gudgeon pin from the connecting rod. To install the 
piston and gudgeon pin to the connecting rod, the 
gudgeon pin boss must be accurately heated to 280 
degrees C before the gudgeon pin can be inserted in 
the little end of the connecting rod.

 

 

Replacement connecting rods are supplied only at 

their highest production weight and must be matched 
to the weight of the remaining connecting rods by 
filing the big end boss. For these reasons it is 
recommended that the work be entrusted to a repu- 
table engine reconditioner who will have the special- 
ised equipment and knowledge to carry out this work.

 

TO INSPECT CYLINDER BLOCK AND BORES

 

With the pistons removed as previously de- 

scribed, carry out the following checks and measuring 
procedures:

 

(1) Check the cylinder bores for cracks, scores or 

scuffs.

 

 

Check for cylinder bore wear. Difference between A 

and B measurement at top of piston travel is out of 

round dimension. Difference between A at top and at 

bottom of piston travel is cylinder taper.

 

(2)  Using an accurate cylinder gauge, measure 

each cylinder bore for wear. Take the measurements, 
at the upper and lower sections of the bore in two 
directions — along and across the cylinder block. 
Refer to the illustration. 

(3)  If the wear in any cylinder exceeds the 

specified limit, rebore and hone all the cylinders to the 
nearest oversize for pistons and rings. 

(4)  With a straight edge and feeler gauge, check 

the top face of the cylinder block for distortion, using 
the same procedure described for the cylinder head. 

STRAIGHT EDGE

 

 

 

Measuring the piston ring side clearance. 

Checking the cylinder block face for distortion.

 

Engine

 

59

 

 

(5) If the engine is completely dismantled, thor- 

oughly clean the cylinder block with solvent and 
compressed air paying particular attention to the 
oilways. Inspect the block for cracks and damage.

 

TO CHECK PISTON CLEARANCE

 

(1)  Using an accurate cylinder measuring gauge, 

measure and   note the diameter of each bore as 
previously described. 

(2)  Measure each piston skirt using a microme- 

ter as follows: 

 

(a)  On  1.6 liter models, measure each piston 

skirt at a point 9 mm above the bottom skirt edge and 
at right angles to the gudgeon pin axis. 

(b)  On   1.8  liter models,  measure each piston 

skirt at a point 6 mm above the bottom skirt edge and 
at right angles to the gudgeon pin axis. 

 

(3)  The difference between the bore and the 

piston measurement is the piston clearance. If the 
clearance exceeds the Specifications, renew the pistons 
and rebore all the cylinders. 

(4)  Cylinders that have had new pistons installed 

or that have been rebored should have the piston 
clearance checked again. 

 

and not engine or transmission oil, mineral spirits or 
kerosene.

 

(2)  Honing should be carried out by moving the 

hone up and down fast enough to obtain a cross hatch 
pattern. When hone marks intersect at 60 degrees, the 
pattern is most satisfactory for correct seating of rings. 

(3)  After honing it is necessary that the block be 

cleaned again to remove all traces of abrasives. 

NOTE: When deglazing, the cylinder should 
be honed only sufficiently to eliminate the 
glazed condition. Excessive honing will in- 
crease the bore size and alter the piston 
clearance.

 

(4)  When honing is complete, ensure that the 

cylinder bore, crankcase area and oilways are thor- 
oughly cleaned. 

(5)  After the cylinder block has been cleaned and 

dried, wipe the bores with a lint free cloth and smear 
them with engine oil to prevent rusting. 

NOTE: All abrasives must be removed from 
the engine components after honing. A so- 
lution of soap and water should be used with 
a brush and the components thoroughly 
dried. A bore can be considered clean when 
it can be wiped clean with a white cloth and 
the cloth remains clean. Oil the bores after 
cleaning to prevent rusting.

 

TO FIT NEW PISTON RINGS AND INSTAL 
PISTONS

 

Once the correct piston and the bore relationship 

has been determined and the pistons cleaned or 
renewed as necessary, proceed as follows:

 

(1)  Place a ring into number one cylinder bore 

and using an inverted piston push the ring down 50 
mm into the cylinder bore. 

(2)  Withdraw the piston and measure the gap in 

the ring with feeler gauges. Adjust the end gap of the 
ring by filing as necessary. See the Specifications for 
the ring end gap. 

 

Measuring the piston diameter using a micrometer. On 

1.6 liter models, dimension A =  9 mm. On 1.8 liter 

models, dimension A  -  6 mm. 

TO INSPECT AND DEGLAZE CYLINDER 
BORES

 

Cylinder bores that are fit for further service with 

the original pistons, but require re-ringing, should be 
deglazed with a hone. Before honing the cylinder 
bores with crankshaft installed, place plenty of clean 
rag over the crankshaft to keep the abrasive materials 
from entering the crankcase area.

 

(1) Deglaze the cylinder walls using a cylinder 

surfacing hone equipped with suitable stones. Inspect 
the cylinder walls after each 20 strokes. Use honing oil

 

Checking the piston ring end gap. 

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Engine

 

 

NOTE: Should the ring end gap be greater 
than the specified gap, another ring set 
should be obtained and the ring end gaps 
checked and compared with the Specifica- 
tions.

 

(3)  Treat each ring and cylinder bore individu- 

ally and ensure that the rings are assembled to the 
respective piston for the cylinder bore in which they 
were installed to check the end gap. 

(4)  Assemble each oil control ring to its respec- 

tive piston bottom groove as follows: 

 

(a)  Install the oil ring expander to the 

piston 
groove, ensuring that the ends of the expander are 
bulled together and not overlapped. 

(b)  Position one end of the lower side rail in the 

groove and peel the ring over the piston and into the 
groove. 

(c)  Similarly install the upper side rail. 

(5)  Install the lower compression ring into 

the 
lower piston groove.

 

NOTE: The compression rings should be 
installed with the manufacturers mark fac- 
ing the top of the piston. To minimize the 
possibility of ring breakage the rings can be 
immersed in hot water prior to installation.

 

(6)  Install the upper compression ring into 

the 
upper piston groove. 

(7)  Space the compression ring gaps 120 degrees 

apart, and ensure that the oil ring gaps and the join in 
the oil ring expander are not aligned. 

(8)  With   the   rings   correctly   installed   and 

gapped, remove the bearing cap from the connecting 
rod. 

(9)  Liberally lubricate the piston assembly and 

install  the  piston  ring  compressor to  number one 
piston. 

NOTE: When installing the pistons to the

 

cylinder ensure that the front marking on 
the piston is towards the front of the engine.

 

(10)  Turn the crankshaft until number one crank- 

pin is at the bottom of its stroke. 

(11)  Install number one piston and connecting 

rod 
assembly into its bore. Push the assembly down the 
bore until the connecting rod can be aligned with 
number one crankpin. 

NOTE: The bearing shells should be lubri- 
cated with engine oil before installation.

 

(12)  Install the connecting rod cap and tighten 

the 
retaining bolts to the specified torque.

 

NOTE: If new bearing shells were installed, 
check the bearing clearance with Plastigage 
as previously described.

 

(13)  With the bearing clearance as specified, in- 

stal the remaining pistons in the same manner. 

(14)  Ensure that the crankshaft turns without 

binding. 

(15)  With all connecting rod bolts tightened to 

the specified torque, install the associated 
components 
by referring to the relevant headings in this section. 

11.    CRANKSHAFT AND MAIN BEARINGS

 

Special Equipment Required:

 

To Inspect — Micrometer, Vee blocks, dial gauge

 

TO REMOVE

 

(1)  With the engine assembly removed from the 

vehicle and the transaxle separated from the engine, 
refer to  the appropriate  headings or sections and 
remove the following components: sump, oil pump 
pickup pipe, oil pump, and flywheel or drive plate. 

(2)  Remove the crankshaft rear oil seal from the 

  

 

Using a ring compressor to install the piston. 

Checking the crankshaft end float using feeler gauges

.