Connecting Rod: Service and Repair

LEGEND
1 Piston Ring
2 Piston
3 Piston Pin
4 Circlip
5 Connecting Rod
6 Bearing Shell
7 Cylinder Block
8 Connecting Rod Bearing Cap
9 Locating Pin
10 Oil Spray Jet
11 Bolt
12 Connecting Rod Bolt

NOTE: During removal and installation procedures, refer to the component location illustration above and component notes below.

COMPONENT NOTES
Piston Ring (1)
- Offset ring gaps by 120°.
- Remove and install using piston ring pliers.
- OBEN" points toward the piston crown.
- Ring gap and ring to groove clearance, refer to Piston Ring, Engine for procedure.

Piston (2)
- Mark piston installed position and cylinder orientation.
- Arrow on piston crown points toward pulley end.
- Install using piston ring clamp.
- If there are cracks on piston skirt, replace piston.
- When replacing pistons, protrusion must be measured and the correct head gasket selected, refer to Cylinder Head Gasket.

Piston Pin (3)
- If difficult to remove, heat piston to 60°C.
- Remove and install using press tool No. VW 222a, or equivalent.

Connecting Rod (5)
- Only replace as a set.
- Mark cylinder number on rod -A-.
- Installation position:
- Marking -B- faces toward pulley end.
- When replacing rods, piston protrusion must be measured and the correct head gasket selected, refer to Cylinder Head Gasket.

Bearing Shell (6)
- Note installed position
- Do not interchange used bearing shells
- Ensure that retaining lugs fit tightly in recesses
- Axial clearance:

- Wear limit: 0.37 mm

- Check radial clearance with Plastigage:

- Wear limit: 0.08 mm

- Do not rotate crankshaft when checking radial clearance.

Connecting Rod Bearing Cap (8)
- Note installation position.

Locating Pin (9)
- The fitted pin must seat securely in the connecting rod, not in the bearing cap.

Oil Spray Jet (10)
- For piston cooling.

Bolt (11)
- Tighten to: 10 Nm (7 ft. lbs).


Connecting Rod Bolt (12)
- Always Replace.
- Tighten in two stages:

- First stage, tighten to: 30 Nm (22 ft. lbs.)
- Second stage, turn: an additional 90° (1/4 turn).

- Oil threads and contact surfaces.
- Use old bolts to measure radial clearance.