To make a long story short, I thought I had a rod knock a few months back. A couple months ago I finally decided to tear down the TA and take look at everything. Well, when I get the TB butterfly plates exposed I noticed that a screw was missing. I knew that was the knocking sound and left it alone until now. Today, I finally got both heads off and found the screw in the last cylinder on the passenger side.

The cylinder walls are ok and not scored at allm but the piston and the head got some good marks. Tomorrow I'm taking my heads down to the machine shop to get them checked out and cleaned up. I'm not sure if I'll be able to use them because the screw head cut into the head pretty good. The piston has some marks but not really that bad. The heads I'm not really worried about because I could always pic up another set, but the piston is another story. There is one good ding on the piston that is located right in the corner were the piston meets the cylinder.

From the pictures, do you guys think I'll be able to get the heads redone and slap them back on without having any problems or is there going to be loss of compression or any other problems that I will encounter from the piston being like that?

Pics:





Passender Head with/without screw

 

I have found as long as the piston walls and rings are in good shape the pistons them selves can have some damage on the top and be just fine. A lot of people actually take a dremel and reshape the top of their piston for things like nitrous. I would suggest purchasing new rings since you already have access to the pistons. Cheap insurance. However, if it was my block I would want a professional to check the walls. I dont see how that screw would not have touched the walls. Maybe someone else here can give their input.

 

I know if it was my car, and I already had the heads off, I would jsut be pulling the engine and getting at least a new set of pistons and bearings. What it is going to cost you now to do it would be much less than if something lets loose and takes out the block or something.

 

Also, you probably wont have problems getting compression with the heads.

But you may have a problem with the valve seats if the valve closed with the screw stuck in there ... That could screw up a seat in a hurry. So make sure the shop checks the valve seats out really well on that cylinder. Both intake and exhaust.

 

Good advice. That is what I ended up doing. It isn't costing me much at all.

 

I would pull the motor in a heartbeat, but my car isn't really in a area where I can do it. If I can keep it in my friends garage for a little bit I might just do it. For the time being I kinda just wanted to get it back and running. I'm almost finished at San Jose State, so I would like to see how my future career goes before I pull the motor. When I pull the motor I want it to built right and not cheaply.

I think it should be okay if I get the heads checked and then put back on. I really want to build a stroker motor for it, but like I said before I realy want to wait and see how my future career goals turn out.

What would it cost to just replace the bearings, rings, and pistons?

 

If your going that far might as well just get the srp forged kit for $539.00 and get some Sir I Beam rods.

 

With how hard that screw hit the piston I might be worried that the top ring land has been compressed and is pinching the ring...its a possibility. If it had been in the middle of the piston I would say smooth it out and run it untill you plan a rebuild, but being right over the edge I am worried.

 

That is why I'm worried also. I don't like how the piston is knicked on the corner of the piston. After I get off work today I will be dropping my heads off at the machine to have them looked at. I think I'm going to throw it back together and see what happens. It's either I rebuild it now or rebuild later. The worst thing that can happen is that the engine fails and I will need rebuilding, which means I will need to tear it down again.

 

There is only one knick were it made a lip on the piston top. Can I use a dremel to grind it down while in the motor or will the shavings screw everything up. Does it matter that there will be a little lip on the piston?

Thanks

 

go ahead and smooth it, cover the other cylinders and the valley, and blow that cylinder out with air when finished