[s-cars] Engine Rebuild Questions

[Rich Letsinger]

You can get oversized Mahle pistons, and they're a better way to go
for a street driven car than aftermarket ones.  Definitely re-ring the
pistons and hone/measure the cylinder walls.  Be aware that the
connecting rods need new studs/nuts for reattachment to the crank, you
cannot reuse those fasteners.  This is a pricey chore.  The wrist pins
are reusable but you'll need new rod bearings.  That sounds a bit high
on the main bearings, although they've become hard to find all of a
sudden.  That's about right for the gasket set, and it includes all of
the valve cover seals and throttle body gaskets, etc.  One last
suggestion would be to polish your pistons.  Blast all that carbon off
them and then make them smooth and shiney with polishing compound to
help prevent future carbon build-up.

Good luck,
Rich