Opel Frontera UE. Manual - part 762

ENGINE MECHANICAL (X22SE 2.2L)

6A–57

Piston and Connecting Rod

Piston, Connecting Rod and Associate Parts

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Legend

EndOFCallout

Disassembly

1. Remove cylinder head assembly (1), refer to 

“Cylinder Head Removal" in this manual.

2. Remove cylinder head gasket (2).

3. Remove oil pan assembly and oil pan support (3) 

refer to“Oil Pan and Oil Pan Support" in this manual.

4. Remove oil strainer.

5. Remove balance unit assembly.

6. Remove connecting rod cap with connecting rod 

lower.

(1) Cylinder Head Assembly
(2) Cylinder Head Gasket
(3) Oil Pan Assembly
(4) Pan Support
(5) Oil Strainer
(6) Balance Unit Assembly

(7) Piston and Connecting Rod Assembly
(8) Piston Ring
(9) Piston Pin

(10) Piston
(11) Connecting Rod
(12) Connecting Rod Cap

6A–58

ENGINE MECHANICAL (X22SE 2.2L)

7. Remove piston and connecting rod assembly (7).

NOTE:  Before removing piston and connecting rod 
assembly, measure thrust clearance.

• Remove any ridge or carbon build up from the top 

end of the cylinder.

8. Remove the piston rings (8) with a piston ring 

expander. Arrange the removed piston rings in the 
cylinder number order.

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9. Remove the piston pin (9).

• Heat the connecting rod and the piston pin with 

oil heater, when it temperature is keep at 280

°Χ

–

320

°

C.

• Push the piston pin with brass bar.

NOTE:  Keep the parts removed from each cylinder 
separate.  All parts must be reinstalled in their original 
positions.

10. Piston (10).

11. Connecting rod (11).

Inspection and Repair

Pistons (10)

Carefully clean away all the carbon adhering to the 
piston head and the piston ring grooves.

NOTE:  Never use a wire brush to clean the pistons. 
Damage will result. Visually check each piston for 
cracking, scoring, and other signs of excessive wear. If 
any of the above conditions are found, the piston must 
be replaced.

Piston Rings (8)

Any worn or damaged part discovered during engine 
overhaul must be replaced with a new one.

1. Ring end gap measurement

• Insert the piston ring into the bore.

• Push the ring by the piston, at a right angle to the 

wall, into the point at which the cylinder bore 
diameter is the smallest.

• Measure the ring end gap.

2. Measure the clearance between the piston ring 

groove and the piston ring with a feeler gauge. If the 
piston ring groove / piston  ring clearance exceeds 
the specified limit, the piston must be replaced.

Compression Ring Clearance

Standard : 0.02 mm–0.04 mm

(0.0008 in.–0.0016 in)

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Compression Ring

1st ring

Standard:

0.30 mm–0.50 mm

(0.0118 in–0.0195 in)

2nd ring

Standard:

0.30 mm–0.50 mm

(0.0118 in–0.0195 in)

Oil ring

Standard:

0.40 mm–1.40 mm

(0.0156 in–0.0546 in)

ENGINE MECHANICAL (X22SE 2.2L)

6A–59

Piston Pin (9)

NOTE:  Do not reuse the old piston pin.

1. Use a micrometer to measure the new piston pin 

outside diameter in both directions at three different 
positions.

2. Measure the inside diameter of the connecting rod 

small end. If the fitting interference between the 
small end and pin does not conform to the specified 
value, the connecting rod must be replaced.

Standard : 0.02 mm–0.041 mm

(0.0008 in–0.0016 in)

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3. Insert the new pin into the piston and rotate it. If the 

pin rotates smoothly with no backlash, the clearance 
is normal. If there is backlash or roughness, 
measure the clearance. If the clearance exceeds the 
specified limit, the piston must be replaced.

Clearance

Standard : 0.011 mm–0.014 mm

(0.0004 in.–0.0005 in)

Connecting Rods (11)

1. Measure the oil clearance between the connecting 

rod and the crankshaft.

1. Remove the connecting rod cap nuts and the 

rod caps (12).
Arrange the removed rod caps in the cylinder 
number order.

2. Clean the rod bearings and the crankshaft pins.

3. Carefully check the rod bearings. If even one 

bearing is found to be damaged or badly worn, 
the entire bearing assembly must be replaced 
as a set. Reinstall the bearings in their original 
positions. Apply plastigage to the crank pin.

4. Reinstall the rod caps (12) to their original 

positions.
Tighten the rod cap nuts.

1st step: 35 N·m (3.6Kg·m/26lbft)

2nd step: 45

°°°°

3rd step: 15

°°°°

NOTE:  Do not allow the crankshaft to rotate.

5. Remove the rod caps.

6. Measure the width of the plastigage and 

determine the oil clearance. If the oil clearance 
exceeds the limit, replace the rod bearing as a 
set.

Standard : 0.006 mm–0.031 mm

(0.0002 in–0.0012 in)

Limit : 0.12 mm (0.0047 in)

7. Clean the plastigage from the bearings and the 

crankshaft pins.

6A–60

ENGINE MECHANICAL (X22SE 2.2L)

Reassembly

1. Install connecting rod

2. Install piston

3. Install piston pin

• Apply a thin coat of engine oil to the piston pin. 

Try to insert the piston pin into the piston pin hole 
with normal finger pressure.

NOTE:  When changing piston / connecting rod 
combinations, do not change the piston / piston pin 
combination and do not reuse the old piston pin.

• Attach the piston to the connecting rod with the 

piston front mark and the connecting rod front 
mark on the same side.

• Heat the connecting rod small end to a suitable 

temperature to ensure smooth installation.

4. Install piston ring with the piston ring expander.

• New piston rings with “Top" uppermost — use 

commercially available pliers.

• Position ring gaps:

1 — Compression rings 180

°

to each other as 

illustrated.
2 — Offset oil control rings 25 to 50 mm/1 to 2 in. 
from gap of second compression ring.

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• After installation, apply engine oil to the entire 

circumference of the piston rings. Check to see 
that all the rings rotate smoothly.

5. Install piston and connecting rod assembly.

• Insert the bearings into the connecting rods and 

caps. Apply new engine oil to the bearing faces 
and nuts.

• Tighten the connecting rod cap nuts in 3 steps:

1st step : 35 N·m (3.6Kg·m/26lbft)

2nd step: 45

°°°°

3rd step: 15

°°°°

Crankshaft grinding dimensions

mm  (in)

(continued)

Production and Service

Con–rod bearing journal dia.

Standard size

(no color code)

48.970 to 48.988 (1.9098–1.9105)

Undersize 0.25 (0.0097)

blue

48.720 to 48.738 (1.9001–1.9008)

Undersize 0.5 (0.0195)

white

48.470 to 48.488 (1.8903–1.891)

Con–rod bearing journal width

Standard size

(no color code)

26.460 to 26.580 (1.0319–1.036)

Undersize 0.25 (0.0097)

blue

26.460 to 26.580 (1.0319–1.036)

Undersize 0.5 (0.0195)

white

26.460 to 26.580 (1.0319–1.036)

Con–rod width

26.338 to 26.390 (1.0271–1.0292)