How to Properly Remove and Install a Piston in an Engine on 2000 Dodge Dakota?

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First, remove the cover on the engine cylinder head, then the rocker arms, bridges, pivots, push rods and finally the engine cylinder head. Stand the pistons up near the end of the bottom stroke and use a ridge reamer to get rid of all the ridges on the top ends of the cylinder walls. Once you have done this, collect the cuttings with a cloth. Lift the car and empty the oil from the system before you remove the oil pan and gasket. Then, unscrew the bearing caps and inserts from the connecting rods and use a mark to show the cylinder bore number on the connecting rods and caps, since each rod and cap carries a two-letter identifier. Raise the car just high enough so that the connecting rod bolts will not scratch the sides of the journal or cylinder by placing rubber tubes on the bottom of the crankshaft before lowering it. Tell your assistant to push the piston and connecting rod assemblies together into the top part of the cylinder bores. When the time comes to install, make sure the cylinders are very clean and put a slight film of clean engine oil on them with a lint-free cloth. If the pistons are removed, put the piston rings on each piston and coat the piston and rings with clean engine oil, making sure not to allow the connecting rod bolts to mark the crankshaft journals or cylinder walls. Start with the piston and connecting rod through the cylinder head, using a piston ring compressor and keeping the arrow on the piston top facing the engine's front. After raising the vehicle again, slide each bearing insert into its correct journal so that the clearance meets the requirements, using the different sizes and colored inserts suggested by the Chart. A painted mark that indicates color is placed near the flange end of the crankshaft on the adjacent cheek or counterweight to identify the rod journal. If required, an upper bearing insert can be paired with a lower insert of a different size and joining a normal size insert with a very slight undersize insert reduces clearance by 0.013 mm (0.0005 inch). An identifying number from the cylinder head is found stamped next to the oil squirt hole on each connecting rod and bearing cap, so use only those with matching numbers. Make sure the oil squirt holes on the connecting rods are facing the camshaft and the arrows on the pistons are pointing to the front section when you put in the bearing caps and inserts. After installing the oil pan and oil gaskets, set the vehicle down, secure the engine cylinder head, push rods, rocker arms, bridges, pivots and engine cylinder head cover and fill the crankcase with engine oil.

OEM 2000 Dodge Dakota Piston

9 Pistons found

2000 Dodge Dakota Piston Part Number: 68067503AA

2000 Dodge Dakota Piston Part Number: 4778875AC

2000 Dodge Dakota Piston Part Number: 4778873AB

2000 Dodge Dakota Piston Part Number: 4798329AC

2000 Dodge Dakota Piston Part Number: 4778876AB

2000 Dodge Dakota Piston Part Number: 68067504AA

2000 Dodge Dakota Piston Part Number: 4778871AB

2000 Dodge Dakota Piston Part Number: 68067510AA

2000 Dodge Dakota Piston Part Number: 4798332AC

2000 Dodge Dakota Piston Parts and Q&A

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