I have today! Doubt I ever will. View from underneath with piston removed. See my carbon bonnet peeking through the gap!

As you can tell some progress was made today. Decision was made not to drop the crank, and just to get the pistons out and the new rods attached to them. Wish I'd thought about ordering piston rings in advance as semi-essential to replace whilst the engine is open... Expensive too at £41 PER PISTON!

Bottom end after the sump was dropped. Oil still dribbling into the bucket.....

Some other progress as well. Block was cleaned up and the bores de-glazed to make way for the rebuild. Mechanic mate commented on HOW well the conrod shells had worn. Barely any wear at all after 90,000 miles, most of that at well over 200bhp too.

Car still looking quite sorry for itself but at least the oil smell is receding quite a bit..... The vRS driver's seat is loose waiting for the same treatment to get the mk5 GTI seat in that the passenger side already has had done.

This is "My Shelf" at the garage where bits of car lie waiting refit, such as my FMIC, sump, and other fittings.

More fun to follow no doubt

If you're referring to the nitrous bottle. there's a fair chance it will never be refitted again.....

I did, long time ago. Changed the big end conrod bearings and piston rings on my Fiesta XR2 1.9. Strange to look at the bonnet through the engine though

ah,but that was a fix or repair daily. Who's done it with a fabia? My bearing were immaculate when removed too. Very surprised (pleasantly). New ones looked identical really bar the grubby marks from handling them.

That was my fun car that days (DCOEs and that sort of stuff), did it myself wasnt my daily work.

Never owned a Fabia though

ah,but that was a fix or repair daily. Who's done it with a fabia? My bearing were immaculate when removed too. Very surprised (pleasantly). New ones looked identical really bar the grubby marks from handling them.

It's the same with most modern engines, I would assume it's down to the modern oils we use in the PD engines and regular changes.

As for changing your rings, I would not bother unless a compression test shows them to be iffy. If you do change them then you'll be waiting 10,000miles before they bed in and reach maximum power.

Edited 30 December, 200916 yr by Soot1e

Hmm, but this car is going to be tuned to the max right out the box (nearly)

that's remarkably clean inside there jason.....

was is worse than this however is when you can see daylight through the engine when the sump and cylinder head is on but with a piston and rod hanging out the side of the block...

Hmm, but this car is going to be tuned to the max right out the box (nearly)

As I said, you are still going to have to bed in the new rings, gently. You just can't fit new bearing shells and piston rings and expect max power straight away.

In your case I would suggest a trot around a race track for the running in period.

Going to use the old ones now due to the bedding in thing - They are in real good condition anyway.

Going to use the old ones now due to the bedding in thing - They are in real good condition anyway.

make sure you put them back in the same place they were removed from then, they will have bedded into those respective poistions and swapping them about will cause you troubles untold

The pistons all had dots of tippex put on them to show which cylinder they came from. It's not ME doing the work - it's an actual garage.