I need to get to my pistons in my 1.4 16v si fiesta. What is the best way of doing so without removing the engine and leaving as much together as possible?

I'm a bit of a novice but I'm keen and it's either this or I scrap it and I thought I may as well take a look.

why are you changing the pistons for a start ?
i take it yo have a mk4 fiesta ?

Head off then sump to get at big ends, leaving block in situe pistons out of top

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Will

As Will says, spot on. Remove the head which will require a new headgasket. Then remove all the sump at the bottom. This will give you access to the big end bolts to remove the end caps, and the pistons can then slide out the top of the block

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Quote Clarkson, Top Gear, 17th July: "I'm not having a stroke... just driving a Nissan!"
Quote Ry, Mallory Park, 3rd Dec: "Ahhhh crap... Just a bit too over eager really!"
"I used to be an adventurer like you, but then I took an arrow in the knee"

Is that how much work is required to change big end bolts????

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Yes it is a Mk4. I'm down to the camshafts so far which was pretty straight forward but now I'm getting above my depth a bit. It doesn't really matter if I don't get it right but I want to, so I feel I could do with a bit of guidance so that I'm not just stabbing in the dark.

I'm wondering what's the best way to get past the camshafts? like getting the belt off and stuff?

Also if I need to get the sump off would it be much easier if I lifted the whole thing out to work on?

personally id drop the engine saves working upside down with oil pissing all over the place

I took the head off the Pulsar, and the sumps off to inspect the big end bearings with the engine in situ. Piece of piss really. If you suspect bearings might have gone and damaged the crank, then it all needs to come out anyway to get the crank out after teh gearbox is off.

Chris - you can change big end bolts without taking the head off. Sumps off and you have access to them. You have to rotate the engine to get to them all but that's it really. Bit awkward if you're taking the bearings out and getting new ones in, but doable.

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Quote Clarkson, Top Gear, 17th July: "I'm not having a stroke... just driving a Nissan!"
Quote Ry, Mallory Park, 3rd Dec: "Ahhhh crap... Just a bit too over eager really!"
"I used to be an adventurer like you, but then I took an arrow in the knee"

Yeah no need to take off the head to change the big end bolts just sump.

I would take the engine out to get the pistons out as there is more room to work with and easier putting it all back together and faster to strip down as there is more room then being cramped up on the floor.

Also if the pistons are out might aswell put new rings in her and ge the block honed out for the new rings. So engine got to come out anyway. Took me under 2 hours tonget the engien out of my Si

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