How To Rebuild Your Ford V-8 351C-351M-400-429-460.pdf - Index of

Piston-and-rod assemblies lined up as they
would be installed; piston arrows and
notches to the front and rod rumbers .
toward their cylinder banks.
Bearing inserts complete the piston-and-rod assemblies. Install the bolt sleeves, oil the
bearings, then immerse the piston in oil over the rings and pin. It's now ready for the ring
compressor.
end gap over the groove. When the ring
lines up with the groove all the way
around, release it into its groove. When
your thumbs revive, install the top ring
using the same method. It'll be easier because
it won't have to go down over the
piston as far.
PISTON AND CONNECTING-ROD
INSTALLATION
To install a piston-and-connecting-rod
assembly into its engine, you must have a
ring compressor, two bearing-journal protectors
for the rod bolts, an oil can, something
to push the piston into its bore-a
hammer will do-and a large tomato can
containing some motor oil. You don't
have to have the last item, but it's the
most convenient way I know to pre-lube
your rings and pistons.
Get Everything Ready-Just like the
other facets of engine building, you have
to be organized when installing connecting
rods and pistons. All tools must be
within reach, everything must be clean
and the engine positioned so you'll be
able to insert each piston-and-rod assembly
into its bore while guiding the rod
into engagement with its crank journal.
Before starting the actual rod-andpiston
installation, clean your engine's
cylinder bores. Use paper towels, not
rags. Look your pistons and rods over
too. Regardless of how clean the rest of
the assembly appears, wipe off the bearing
inserts as well as their bores in the
rods and caps. If you're doing the engine
assembly on a bench, roll the block upside-down
so one of the deck surfaces
hangs over the edge of the bench. The
engine will be resting on the other deck
surface. This will give you clear access to
the top and bottom of the bores and to
the crankshaft-bearing journals. Have the
pistons close by and organized according
to their positions in the engine. This way
you won't have to hunt for each piston
even though it gets easier as you go along.
With all the tools ready, you should be
ready to slip the rods and pistons in their
holes.
Crankshaft Throws at BDC-If you've removed
the crankshaft damper bolt and
washer, replace them. You'll need them
so you cai turn the crank during the rodand-piston
installation process. The throw
or connecting-rod journal must be lined
up at BDC with the bore that's to receive
a piston and rod. This is so you'll have
room between the bottom of the cylinder
and the crank journal to guide the rod's
big end into engagement with its journal
as you slide the piston into the bore.
Once you have the crankshaft in position,
remove the bearing cap from the rod
you're going to install. Be careful not to
knock the bearing inserts loose if you installed
them earlier. Above all, don't mix
them with other inserts. Avoid this by
only removing one rod cap at a time. Slip
the journal protectors over the rod bolts.
Liberally oil the piston rings, the skirt
and the wrist pin. Here's where the tomato
can with oil in it comes in handy. Just
immerse the top of the piston in the oil
over the wrist pin, then spread oil over the
piston skirt. While you're at it, spread oil
onto the bearing inserts with a finger tip.
Ring compressors vary in design, so
follow the directions that accompanied
yours. If you don't have the directions,
here's how to use one. There are two
basic styles. Most common and least expensive
operates with an Allen wrench.
The compressed position is held by a
ratchet and released .by a lever on the side
of the compressor sleeve. The second
type uses a plier arrangement. A ratchet
on the plier handle holds the rings in the
compressed position. This type is available
from Sealed Power Corporation with
sleeves or bands to accommodate 2-718-
4-318-inch piston diameters.
To use a ring compressor, fit it loosely
around the piston with the long side of
the sleeve pointing up in relation to the
piston. With the clamping portion of the
compressor centered on the three rings,
compress the rihgs while wiggling the
compressor slightly. This helps to compress
the rings fully.
Using the notch or arrow on the piston
dome or the rod number as reference for
positioning the assembly, insert the
piston and rod in its bore while being
careful not to let the connecting rod bang
against the cylinder wall. The lower portions
of the piston skirt should project
out of the bottom of the compressor
sleeve. Insert the piston in the bore and
push the compressor against the block to
square it with the block deck surface.
Holding onto your hammer by its head,
use the handle to push or tap lightly on
the head of the piston to start it into the
bore. If the piston hangs up before it's all
the way in, STOP. Don't try to force the
piston in the rest of the way. What's
happened is a ring popped out of the bottom
of the compressor before entering
the bore, consequently if you try forcing