On a press fit piston wrist pin, can I just press the old pin out, to remove the pistons from the rods? I just want the rods, lol... Any idea?

 

If you don't care about the pistons then yes, just put them in a press the best way that you can and press out the pins. If you're trying to save the pistons, then they need to be put in a special cradle to prevent being damaged.

 

I vote for using a sledge hammer and a deep socket

 

I had some pistons removed that I wanted to save. I took them to a machine shop and they had a special tool for this so not to totally destroy them. They were able to save them but the guy told me there was no guarantee. They are aluminum and can be thrown out of round easily if you abuse them.

 

If you were really creative and had lots of time you could probably make a wooden cradle for the piston.

 

No interest in saving the pistons - just the rods Thanks guys

 

The last time I got pistons done, they used an oven and heated the piston. The pin just slid right out.

 

Which autobody shop do you work for?

 

But it's not pressed into the piston. The pin still floats in the piston. The pin is pressed into the rod. Trying to heat the rod to remove the pin is hard because the small end is inside the piston and you risk melting the piston to get the rod hot enough for the pin to slide out.

When they install the pistons onto the rods, the rods are heated up in a special torch jig. When it's hit enough (metal turns blue) the rod is taken out and positioned inside the piston. The pin is quickly slid into place. Once the rod cools down, the pin is considered pressed into place.

A real poor mans way of installing pressed pins is to put the rods in an oven at around 350 - 450* for an hour or so. At the same time, have the pins in the freezer for about 24 hours. When the rods are hot, position them in the pistons then slide a frozen pin into place. Most of the time everything slides in perfect before the temperatures equalize.

My engine only uses floating pin now. Pop out the spiral locks at the end of the pin and slide the pins out with very little effort.

 

Is there some reason why people even use pressed-in pins? The circlips look to be a MUCH easier setup to work with. I assume there's some inherent advantage to using the pressed-in variety?

 

Reliability. In a high mileage, factory type engine, the wrist pin bushing in a floating pin can eventually wear out. Pressed pin has no bushing.