In-vehicle single piston/sleeve swap?

[Mike944]

Hi Everybody,
i know im probably going to get flamed for even suggesting this, but i'm posting the question anyway.

has anyone ever tried to replace a single cylinder sleeve and piston with the engine still in the vehicle (LDT-465-1C)?

I recently got a bad oil analysis result, they seem to think i have a broken ring. I borescope inspected the engine, found that the #2 cylinder has a gouge in the wall, consistent with a broken ring. Can i just drop the pan, pull the head, and swap just that cylinder with minimal time/money expenditure?

I don't need this vehicle to be perfect, i just want to stop things from deteriorating any further. I don't want to spend the time or money rebuilding the engine right now. Maybe never. i don't expect to put that many hours on it, ever.

 

[fpchief]

Subscribed, waiting to see some answers and info on this.

 

[WillWagner]

It's #2, so the cab won't be in the way, Sure, as long as you have the puller to get the liner out and a ring compressor to put the piston back in the hole. No different than an 855, DT or other engines. Parts could be an issue, as in getting the same piston, I do not know if different pistons can be mixed in an engine, Cummins, cannot be for certain pistons.

 

[jatonka]

I have done this several times, no bad results. You must use a replacement liner kit that uses the same type of wrist-pin as what you took out. Some engines had hollow wrist-pins and some used solid ones. The wrong wrist-pin will throw your engine out of balance, to the extent that they were balanced when built. JT

 

[cattlerepairman]

I don't want to spend the time or money rebuilding the engine right now. Maybe never. i don't expect to put that many hours on it, ever.

Congratulations to the uttlerly sane approach. Of course...with the pan off you could do upgraded 12 head rod bolts...new main bearings...new rod bearings....seeing how you have it open anyway! That would be MY road to overkill! Ask me how I know!

 

[Mike944]

...... You must use a replacement liner kit that uses the same type of wrist-pin as what you took out. Some engines had hollow wrist-pins and some used solid ones. ......

is there a NSN difference between the 2 kits? i.e. if I find one for sale, without opening the box, is there a way to tell the difference?

similar question on the engine. Can I tell which one I have (engine rebuild date perhaps?) before disassembling? I want to have the parts on hand before disassembling. The last thing I need is another partially completed project. I want this to be a disassemble, and reassemble in a short timeframe. I have WAY too many projects in various states of completion.

 

[jatonka]

I don't have part numbers for the 2 wrist-pins. Sorry. I have a ton of projects too, understand what you said. JT

 

[frank8003]

Fix it and put a new harmonic balancer too.?

 

[rustystud]

At work we did this many times. Especially if an engine had been rebuilt within a couple of years. I would go ahead and pull the piston now so you know what style you will need. I also would go ahead and replace all the rod bolts with the newer 12 point style.