Cadillac 12353977 Piston & Pinion Asm (.040 Os) RH

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Remove the oil pan, oil pump, and cylinder heads as previously described. Before forcing the piston assemblies up through the top of the engine block, use a ridge reamer to eliminate the ridge or carbon deposits at the top of each cylinder. Work on one cylinder at a time by turning the engine so the piston is at the bottom of its stroke, placing a rag on top of the piston to catch the cuttings. After removing the ridge, crank the engine until the piston is at the top of the cylinder and then remove the cloth and cuttings, as failure to do so may damage the piston rings, pistons, or cylinder walls. Inspect the connecting rods and connecting rod caps for cylinder identification; if not plainly marked, use a small punch to make indentations (left bank - 1, 3, 5, 7, right bank - 2, 4, 6, 8). Remove the nuts on the connecting rod stud in sequence and lift the cap (with bearing inside) off the crankshaft, placing the connecting rod cap and bearing on a clean work surface marked for each cylinder. Cover the connecting rod studs with rubber or plastic tubing to prevent damage to the crankshaft or cylinder wall during piston assembly removal. Push the piston/connecting rod assembly out through the top of the cylinder and place it next to its rod cap on the sequenced work area. Repeat these procedures for the remaining seven cylinders, turning the crankshaft as necessary to access the connecting rod nuts, and reuse the rubber or plastic tubing for each assembly. Remove the bearings from the connecting rods and connecting rod caps using a small screwdriver; if the engine has many miles, it is not advisable to reuse the bearings, but if they are to be reinstalled, place them in a numbered rack. If a piston ring expanding tool is available, use it to remove each of the rings from the piston; alternatively, expand the ring just enough to clear the lands of the piston body, then place strips of tin (about ¾ in. wide) under the ring at equal distances around the piston and use a slight twisting motion to 'walk' the ring up and off the top. Place the rings in their 'installed' order adjacent to the piston/connecting rod on the numbered work area. Separating the connecting rod from the piston requires the removal of the piston pin, a task best left to a dealer or automotive machine shop equipped with the proper support tools and an arbor press. Avoid cleaning and inspecting the piston/rod assemblies at this time, as they may need to be replaced with new units depending on the condition of the cylinder block or crankshaft.

Before installing the piston rings, measure the ring end gap for each ring by arranging them into sets that include a top ring, a second ring, and a three-piece oil control ring.

Verify that the piston/rod assembly is correctly positioned by noting that most pistons will be marked with an 'F' or a drilled-out area indicating the piston should be installed with these marks toward the front of the engine, and the rod bearing tang slots should be towards the outside of the engine block once installed.

While the piston is still connected to the connecting rod, it is advisable to swivel the rod back and forth to assess the degree of difficulty. Comparing all piston/rod assemblies can help determine if the rods appear loose on the piston pins and move with little or no drag, indicating that the piston pins have worn and must be replaced.