Honda Pilot: Piston, Ring, Pin, and Connecting Rod Removal and Installation

Removal

1. Engine/Transmission - Remove

2. Transmission - Remove

3. Drive Plate - Remove

4. Cylinder Head - Remove

5. Oil Pan - Remove

6. Oil Filter Base/Oil Filter Assembly - Remove

7. Oil Strainer - Remove

8. Baffle Plate - Remove

9. Metal or Hard Carbon - Remove

1. If you can feel a ridge of metal or hard carbon around the top of each cylinder, remove it with a ridge reamer (A).

   Follow the reamer manufacturer's instructions. If the ridge is not removed, it may damage the piston as it is pushed out.

10.Piston/Connecting Rod Assembly - Remove

1. Remove the connecting rod caps after setting the connecting rod journal at bottom dead center (BDC) for each cylinder. Remove the piston/connecting rod assembly by pushing on the connecting rod. Take care not to damage the oil jets, the connecting rod journal, or the cylinder with the connecting rod.
2. Remove the bearing from the rod cap. Keep all caps/bearings in order.
3. Remove the upper bearing halves from the connecting rods, and set them aside with their respective caps.
4. After removing a piston/connecting rod assembly, reinstall the rod cap on the rod.

NOTE:

• Mark the cylinder number on the connecting rod and the connecting rod bearing cap to avoid mixing them up during reassembly.
• The factory markings on the connecting rods do not indicate cylinder position.

11.Piston Ring - Remove

1. Using a ring expander (A), remove the old piston rings (B).
2. Clean all the ring grooves thoroughly with a squared-off broken ring, or a ring groove cleaner with a blade to fit the piston grooves. File down the blade, if necessary. The top ring and second ring grooves are 1.2 mm (0.047 in) wide, and the oil ring groove is 2.0 mm (0.079 in) wide. Do not use a wire brush to clean the ring grooves, or cut the ring grooves deeper with the cleaning tool.

   NOTE: If the piston is to be separated from the connecting rod, do not install new rings yet.

12.Piston Ring End Gap - Inspect

1. Using a piston, push a new ring (A) into the cylinder bore 15－20 mm (0.59－0.79 in) from the bottom.
2. Measure the piston ring end-gap (B) with a feeler gauge:

• If the gap is too small, check to see if you have the proper rings for your engine.
• If the gap is too large, recheck the cylinder bore diameter against the wear limits. If the bore is over the service limit, the engine block must be rebored.

Piston Ring End-Gap

Top Ring:

  Standard (New): 0.20－0.35 mm (0.008－0.013 in)

  Service Limit: 0.6 mm (0.024 in)

Second Ring:

  Standard (New): 0.40－0.55 mm (0.016－0.021 in)

  Service Limit: 0.7 mm (0.028 in)

Oil Ring:

  Standard (New): 0.20－0.70 mm (0.008－0.027 in)

  Service Limit: 0.8 mm (0.031 in)

13.Piston Pin - Remove

1. Apply new engine oil to the piston pin snap rings (A) and turn them in the ring grooves until the end gaps are lined up with the cutouts in the piston pin bores (B).

   NOTE: Take care not to damage the ring grooves.

2. Remove the snap rings (A) from both sides of each piston.

   Start at the cutout in the piston pin bore. Remove the snap rings carefully so they do not go flying or get lost. Wear eye protection.

3. Separately heat each piston and connecting rod assembly to about 158 ºF (70 ºC), then remove the piston pin.

14.Piston Pin - Inspect

1. Measure the diameter of the piston pin.

Piston Pin Diameter

  Standard (New): 21.961－21.965 mm (0.86460－ 0.86476 in)

  Service Limit: 21.954 mm (0.86433 in)

2. Zero the dial indicator to the piston pin diameter.

Piston Pin-to-Piston Clearance

  Standard (New): -0.005－0.002 mm (-0.00020－ 0.00008 in)

  Service Limit: 0.004 mm (0.00016 in)

3. Measure the piston pin-to-connecting rod clearance.

Piston Pin-to-Connecting Rod Clearance

  Standard (New): 0.005－0.015 mm (0.00020－ 0.00059 in)

  Service Limit: 0.019 mm (0.00075 in)

4. Measure the connecting rod small end bore diameter.

Connecting Rod Small End Bore Diameter

  Standard (New): 21.970－21.976 mm (0.86496－ 0.86520 in)

Installation

1. Piston Pin - Install

1. Install a piston pin snap ring (A) only on one side.
2. Coat the piston pin bore in the piston, the bore in the connecting rod, and the piston pin with new engine oil.

3. Heat the piston to about 158 ºF (70 ºC).

4. Assemble the piston (A) and the connecting rod (B) with the embossed marks (C) on the same side. Install the piston pin (D).

   NOTE: Apply new engine oil to the piston pin.

5. Install the remaining snap ring.
6. Reassemble the other pistons the same way.

2. Piston Ring - Install

1. Install the rings as shown. The top ring (A) has a 1A mark and the second ring (B) has a SPR mark. The manufacturing marks (C) must be facing upward.

2. After installing a new set of rings, measure the ring-to- groove clearance.

Top Ring Clearance

  Standard (New): 0.065－0.090 mm (0.003－ 0.003 in)

  Service Limit: 0.15 mm (0.005 in)

Second Ring Clearance

  Standard (New): 0.030－0.055 mm (0.002－ 0.002 in)

  Service Limit: 0.13 mm (0.005 in)

3. Rotate the rings in their grooves to make sure they do not bind.
4. Position the ring end gaps as shown.

3. Connecting Rod Bearing Clearance - Inspect

4. Piston/Connecting Rod Assembly - Install

1. Position the piston/connecting rod assembly with the arrow (A) facing the timing belt side of the engine block.

2. Position the piston/connecting rod assembly in the cylinder, and tap it in using the wooden handle of a hammer (A).

   Maintain downward force on the ring compressor (B) to prevent the rings from expanding before entering the cylinder bore.

3. Stop after the ring compressor pops free, and check the connecting rod-to-rod journal alignment before pushing the piston into place.

5. Connecting Rod Bolt - Inspect

1. Measure the diameter of each connecting rod bolt at point A and point B.
2. Calculate the difference in diameter between point A and point B.

Point A－Point B = Difference in Diameter

Difference in Diameter

 Specification: 0－0.1 mm (0－0.004 in)

3. If the difference in diameter is out of tolerance, replace the connecting rod bolt.

6. Connecting Rod Cap and Bearing Half - Install

1. Install the connecting rod bearing (A), then line up the mark (B) on the connecting rod (C) and the rod cap (D).
2. Apply new engine oil to the bolt threads and flanges.

   Torque the bolts (E) to 20 N-m (2.0 kgf-m, 15 lbf-ft).

3. Tighten the connecting rod bolt an additional 90 º.

NOTE: Remove the connecting rod bolt if you tightened it beyond the specified angle, and inspect the connecting rod bolt. Do not loosen it back to the specified angle.

7. Baffle Plate - Install

8. Oil Strainer - Install

9. Oil Filter Base/Oil Filter Assembly - Install

10.Oil Pan - Install

11.Cylinder Head - Install

12.Drive Plate - Install

13.Transmission - Install

14.Engine/Transmission - Install