I'm always trying to think of cheaper ways to make my engine more reliable. Ive heard about piston clearances being tight with the evo x which causes problems especially if the tune is off, but what about just upgrading your rods? That seems to be the most common engine failure. The cost of labor would be cheaper, where you would pull the piston/rod out from underneath the car (wouldnt have to pull the head) and you wouldnt have to machine the cylinder walls, considering each piston will be going back into its corresponding cylinder. Although would you have to pull the crank out to get the piston out with rod attached? And is that even possible with the block being left inside the engine bay?

I'm no mechanic, and to many this very question would make that very evident. But can someone please explain the downfalls in doing this?

 

It's possible but you would have the pull the head and slide the pistons out from the top. You wouldn't need to pull the crank. It would be better of to upgrade the pistons while your at it

 

Even if you could get the piston/rods out from the bottom you wouldnt be able to get them back in since you need to squeeze the piston rings tight and slide the piston into the cylinder....And I'm new with these little motors but not a ford based v8 but anytime you change the weight of the rotating assembly (crank/pistons/rods) you should have the whole rotating assembly rebalanced but of course not necessary, depends on the difference of the rods in weight really, thats where quality control can make a difference too. But when these little motors are spun to 7-8k filled with boost I'm sure it will help determine the longevity of the bottom end. Just my .02....BTW first post

 

Truff. You can't remove the pistons from the bottom. I also haven't seen any proof that it is the rods that are failing...they are what comes through the motor but that is probably because the piston disintegrated from detonation first.

I tried to save money by dropping the pistons in without a hone (left the motor in the car) and now I burn oil like a refinery. I'm afraid there's really no way around pulling the motor and doing it right.

 

I am a mechanic and I will tell you there are several ways to remove the Piston without taking off the head but as someone else already stated putting the pistons back in you need to put them into a Ring compressor. Is it possible to do from the bottom I have never seen an engine that the journals would clear the ring compressor or oil squirts weren't in the way. "not sure in a Evo X motor" Also Rods usually "Stretch" Under extremely heavy load where the metal gets fatigued and cause it to heat up in 1 area and the metals "stretches" and breaks.
There are other reasons but that is the most common. There are several options where you can have the factory rods shot-penned and also the piston, but the cost of doing this you might as well buy Forged. You dont always have to machine cylinder walls but it is recommended that you Hone and measure for proper clearance. And something said by every working man in the world lol
" Good work is not cheap and cheap work is not good"