Forum

[Robin]

Hello all. I'm in the process of taking an Electra X engine to bits. I especially bought a gudgeon pin extractor from our hosts, but this broke due to too much pressure. The pin is a really tight fit, and I eventually got it out by knocking it with one of my ratchet attachments which had the same diameter as the pin. Not too sure if this is the right method. How would you guys deal with a problem like this?

[Midge]

Normally some gentle heat on the piston does the trick. If you are using a new piston it will come with a new pin so nothing to worry about, just make sure the fit to the small end is correct before fitting. - Hopefully you haven't bent the alloy con rod with all that bashing!

[Paul M H]

I use a long pan head bolt with the head slightly smaller than the outside diameter of the gudgeon pin I thread this though the pin then place a small bit of pipe I cut and made over the protruding end of the bolt then a couple of 2p bits I drilled a hole in to act as washers then a nut now tighten the nut till it pulls the pin though.

[Mark M]

Robin, I use a hot air paint stripper gun for this job, point it mainly at the piston crown but also play it round the sides of the piston. It won't need to get too hot before the pin moves freely. A blowlamp works too but an electric one is more controllable. Removing/replacing the pin with spacers as the others said, but I'd use a high melting point grease in the small end eye when re-fitting, this helps stop the pin galling on the alloy in the few minutes after start up before plenty of oil gets there.(Don't ask how I know this...) Try the new pin in the rod before fitting the piston, it should be a light sliding fit. If it's too tight, you can probably re-use the old one but if you do check it fits the piston first!
REgards, Mark

[Norm]

Robin, seeing it is an Electra my guess is that the circlip has been pushed sideways and bruised the edge and this is what the gudgeon is stuck on. If you plan on reusing the piston inspect the circlip groves very carefully, it is not really easy to see. If it is the case I bet it is the left hand side

[Robin]

My, that's an awful lot of response in a short space of time! Thanks a bunch! The circlips were fine, Norm, and no bruising to either pin or piston - just a very tight fit. Thanks everyone for the tip of heating the piston up first. I didn't do any damage to pin, piston, or small end, and I doubt I bent the steel rod when I removed the pin - the only piece which didn't come through the ordeal all that well, and got a bit of a hammering was my Halfords ratchet attachment! New big end, rod, barrel and piston are on the cards anyway, as are new main bearings. I will apply your advise upon reassembly of the new piston and rod. Thanks again.

[Alan R]

Hi ROBIN---just for your info.----if you were to put this posting on the American Enfield forum, then don't forget to them it is known as a "wrist pin".