To work on the connecting rod, start by taking away the engine and the cylinder head, draining the engine oil and then remove the
Oil Pan and
Oil Filter. Then, remove the balance shaft assembly and the ladder frame. Before you take out the piston, remove any carbon or lingering debris in the cylinder so you don't scratch the sides of the piston. Use a good-quality ridge reamer to eliminate the ridge found in the cylinder bores as you keep the pistons covered at all times. Turn the
Crankshaft to bring the connecting rods to the middle of the cylinder bores and put a permanent mark indicating the cylinder number on each connecting rod cap, instead of using a stamp or punch. Do not damage the cracked rod and cap joint areas during screw removal. Unscrew the connecting rod bolts and the cap, as you can use them only one time. For all pistons and rods, hold the cap, carefully pull the piston and rod out of the cylinder and put the cap back on the other side of the rod as you reinstall the assembly.