finally took apart this 2.3 I4 engine that i've had laying in the garden for the past 2 months
it's been covered up and all that but when i went to time it up before stripping it, it wouldn't turn more than half way round before locking up solid

all sorts of ideas were given as to why, but the eveutual cause of it was a bolt in the chamber when someone had taken the plugs out

the head loks like it's fine, there are no marks on it and i assume it's been sat against one of the valves because there aren't any dents in the head at all

the problem is that the piston it was pushing against has now got 2 fairly distintive dents in it
they ain't big, but they are there

so the question is, can i just get away with one replacement piston or will i need to get the whole lot of them sorted out?
or, wil i be able to use this piston even with a dent in it?

the erst of the engine is sound, not a mark on it and it was still oil and water tight even with a blown head gasket so i don't want to have to fix a bit of it and then wait for it to go bang 20 miles up the road

 

post up some pics... and people will give their considered opinion

Alex

 

i would if i could
at work and no phontobucket

besides, the pics i've got are a bit crap ebcause the camera doesn't do close ups

should be home before midnight tonight so i'll see if i can get some up then

for comparison, the dents are about 3 or 4mm long and probably 1mm deep, but they seem to have raised a bit of the piston a little smidgen too

 

there you go mate - pictures posted