The_One

Hi folks,
I am taking a 22R block and crank to a machinist to have it cleaned, measured up, bored/honed, polished or ground etc.
I will be doing the rebuild but am a bit new to it all.

As expected my machinist said he wants the replacement pistons on hand to check sizes when he does the rebore.
I am just not sure which pistons to order. I was going to get a master rebuild kit from LCE or ENGBLDR and you have to specify what piston sizes, ring sizes, bearing sizes etc when ordering.

How do i know what to order if the machine work hasn't been done yet? I don't know if the crank has to be ground (which bearing size) or how big a piston to buy?
Do people just buy the next piston size up?

Does all this mean i cant buy a master kit and have to buy each component at different stages? Choose an oversize piston size now - then buy the bearings once the crank has been machined? After the re-bore to the new piston size will the machinist tell me what size rings to get?

Hope someone can shed some light on this for me. I have done a bit of googling but they all just kinda assume you knew which pistons to buy and took them to the machinist. I don't even know if the engine has been re-bored out before?
Do i have to buy a bore gauge and measure it up myself?

millball

After your block and crank are measured by the machinist, he should tell you what piston and main+rod bearing sizes to buy.
He will want the pistons on hand to do the final clearancing, but he will be able to tell you what sizes to get after he measures where the block and crank are at now.

The_One

Roger.
That could be pain though if once i drop the engine at the machinists i have to wait for parts from the USA (i am in Australia).

Do you think that off the shelf pistons and rings from who knows what part supplier are good quality (i know a bit of a vague question)? It's just that an engine re-builder once told me that there is only a couple of standard rings manufactures worldwide... thus most are the same quality.

The machinist says he can supply the pistons and rings from a local source. I think the LCE pistons are "Hypereutectic" and made of alloy. What are the stock pistons made out of? I really want a close to factory build as possible as the stock 22R is what i like.
Cheers

millball

NPR (Nippon Piston Ring) piston and ring sets are available on Ebay for very reasonable money.

These are Japanese made parts, and I have had good luck with them in several different applications.

I would expect that your machinist would know a decent component from a poor one, but I know that I would shy away from Chinese parts, for sure.

Good luck with your overhaul!!

The_One

When i order rings and pistons, do the rings match the piston oversize? For example if the engine is bored out for .50mm oversize pistons, do i also buy .50mm oversize rings? Is that how it works?

I guess i don't quite get the relationship of pistons vs bore size vs ring size and clearancing?

millball

Yes, the piston ring oversize must match the piston oversize.

The_One

So i bought a spare 22R engine yesterday! It will be the one that gets rebuilt now.
My question is, should i buy new con rods or just re-use the old ones?

I understand that the crank will be either polished or ground down and the bearings on the bottom of the rods will be bought to match. So should i just buy new bushings for the top of the rods and press them in?
I take it new pistons come with new pistons pins? So new rod bushings should fit new piston pins...

L5wolvesf

Re Rods, If the machine shop is good they will inspect/measure them and will let you know if they are within spec.

helidriver

I got my master kit through ENGBLDR. Should be able to email them, they are real quick to get back in my experience. Explain your situation and they will talk you through what to get from them. I measured the old bore to close enough and they knew what to tell the machinist to do and what to order. And the shop should be able to mic your rods for reuse based on what they have to do to the crank....

The_One

Yup.
I plan on getting an ENGBLDR kit as well. But i hope to get an Toyota OEM head gasket instead of the one in the kit. As the original Toyota head gaskets lasted hundreds of thousands of kilometers i see no reason to change

The_One

Did the pistons with the ENGBLDR kit come with new piston pins?

helidriver

yeah, communicate through them, they know all. I'm from the same city as them. I happened to drive by one day and swung in, he suffered through my questions and time, didn't even throw me out. My rebuild is strong 2years later mechanically.... have electrical issues now