Kingdom Of Diesel Engines

By Aly A. Fatah
Let us discuss some reasons that may lead to get piston failed and
damaged into pieces after installation to the engine and start the
engine, normally happens after limited service hours.
As it is known that piston kit consists of piston, two snap rings,
piston pin and piston rings, we will concentrate on piston pin and
piston snap rings.

Sometimes after someone does engine overhaul including new

pistons and start the engine and put the engine back into service,
the customer come back and complain engine failure, the
preliminary inspection shows piston failure or even cylinder
block damage.

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Kingdom Of Diesel Engines
By Aly A. Fatah
Normally, we justify the case as engine overloading and misuse,
at the time the real cause is the poor workmanship, the reason
simply is someone did not follow manufacturer’s instructions and
applied the rules that he knows, sometime manufactures has
different rules, I will demonstrate some hidden rule that Cummins
recommend, and if the technician ignore this rules, he will end up
with a damaged cylinder block.

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Kingdom Of Diesel Engines
By Aly A. Fatah
I totally understand that local workshop everywhere applies
different procedures and rules to install piston wrist pin to the
piston, and every mechanic uses the way that he was taught and
does the job the way his boss instructed him to do, before I go to
the best way to do this job, let us demonstrate some famous
procedures, but keep in mind that we are targeting high
horsepower diesel engines that used to power earthmoving
equipment and big trucks and not the small engines that used in
cars and light trucks …...Etc.
Some mechanics used to heat connecting rod small end using
flam or oxyacetylene to expand piston pin bushing, after it
expands then can push piston pin into the bushing by hand, if you
think about this method from metallurgy point of view, you will
find that the direct fire may damage piston pin bushing and
changes metal properties, sure it will cause thermal stress that
will effect connecting rod strength.
From my side, I never found this installation method in any
service manual I had ever studied, consequently I do not
recommend this way.

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Kingdom Of Diesel Engines
By Aly A. Fatah
We come now to a hidden reason to get piston damaged after
installing piston pin to piston bushing and put the engine back to
service or even it may lead to progressive damage to cylinder
block.
The hidden reason is to press fit piston pin using a hummer or
hydraulic press, this may cause a crack or even hair crack in the
aluminum piston, and after you put the engine back into service,
the crack expands leading to piston failure.
I do not recommend this method.

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Kingdom Of Diesel Engines
By Aly A. Fatah
There is better way which is safer to install piston pin to
piston pin bushing, this way is to put piston pin in fridge
freezer for about 20 minutes to let piston pin shrink, at the
same time immerse the piston in hot water for few minutes
to let them expands, put few drops of clean engine oil on
piston pin and start installing piston pin to piston pin
bushing by hand, and push it in with your fingers, it will be
installed smoothly and safely.

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Kingdom Of Diesel Engines
By Aly A. Fatah
Let us now go to an important issue which is piston snap ring
(circlip) installation.

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Kingdom Of Diesel Engines
By Aly A. Fatah

The main job of snap ring or circlip is to secure wrist pin in its
place and stop it from moving and touching liner internal surface,
to install snap ring you need to use one of the pliers shown in the
figure below. You need to ensure that the snap ring is completely
installed in piston slot and turnes freely inside the slot.

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Kingdom Of Diesel Engines
By Aly A. Fatah
I would recommend reading service manual and apply the
installation instructions, some manufactures have specified
instructions.
In some Cummins engines the snap ring is designed with two
different surfaces, one is flat and the other one is convex, when
you install this kind of snap rings, you should install the flat
surface towards piston pin, and convex surface towards outside,
in this case the contact area will secure the snap ring probably,
if you install the snap ring oppositely, there is a good chance that
the snap ring can jump out of piston slot and set piston pin free to
touch liner internal surface and damage both of liner and piston.
This is a hidden reason to get piston failure after installation.

Snap ring with convex surface

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Kingdom Of Diesel Engines
By Aly A. Fatah