Toyota 13101-31090 Piston Sub-Assy, W/Pin

Remove the cylinder head, upper oil pan section, and oil pan before removing the piston/connecting rod assemblies. You can check for cylinder ridges and remove them with a tool. Make sure to measure the connecting rod endplay with feeler gauges and consult a machine shop if it exceeds the limit. Mark the connecting rods and caps for the association. Remove the connecting rod cap bolts and caps, then extract the piston/connecting rod assemblies. When installing new piston rings, verify the ring end gaps and adjust them. Install new bearing inserts and lubricate the surfaces. Also, match the assemblies and ring sets to the corresponding cylinder and insert the top ring into the first cylinder. Lubricate the piston and rings with clean engine oil and use a piston ring compressor. You should verify the connecting rod bearing oil clearance using Plastigage.

To detach piston and rod assemblies, eliminate cylinder ridges, and check rod endplay. You can push out the assembly for inspection. For piston ring installation, inspect ring end gaps and insert rings into the cylinder with the proper orientation. Install the oil control ring, then the number two and one rings, using a piston ring installation tool.

Prior to removing the piston and connecting rod assemblies, the cylinder head(s), oil pan, and oil pump pick-up tube must be taken off. Clean the top of the block and upper cylinder walls with a cloth and lacquer thinner. Use your fingernail to check for any ridge formed at the upper limit of ring travel, approximately 1/4-inch down from the top of each cylinder; if ridges are present due to carbon deposits or cylinder wear, they must be completely removed with a ridge reamer before attempting to remove the pistons to avoid damage. After removing the ridges, turn the engine upside-down with the crankshaft facing up. Before removing the connecting rods, check the endplay with feeler gauges, ensuring the play is removed; if the endplay exceeds the specified service limit, new connecting rods may be necessary, and if new rods or a new crankshaft are installed, the endplay may need to be machined to restore it. Check the connecting rods and caps for identification marks, and if they are not marked, use a small center punch to create indentations to indicate their associated cylinders. Loosen each connecting rod cap nut gradually until they can be removed by hand, and take care not to drop the bearing insert out of the cap. For V6 engines, use padded bolts to protect the crankshaft surface during the removal or installation of the pistons and rods. Push the connecting rod/piston assembly out through the top of the engine using a wooden hammer handle, ensuring all ridge material has been removed if resistance is felt. Repeat this process for the remaining cylinders, turning the crankshaft as needed to align the rod with the cylinder bore. After removal, reassemble the connecting rod caps and bearing inserts in their respective rods and install the cap nuts finger tight to prevent accidental damage to the bearing surfaces. Avoid separating the pistons from the connecting rods.