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Autopapyrus · Ford S-Max 2.0 EcoBoost 203 hp (2012)
https://autopapyrus.com/guides/ford/s-max/removing-the-piston-and-connecting-rod-assembly/
Compiled automatically from service literature and owner experience. Specs are for the typical configuration — check them against your exact car before you start.

Ford S-Max 2.0 EcoBoost 203 hp (2012): Removing the Piston and Connecting Rod Assembly

The exact step-by-step procedure for this engine is not documented in publicly available service materials, so this is the general principle for removing a piston on an inline 4-cylinder turbocharged engine with a timing chain drive. This is major engine overhaul work: it must be preceded by diagnostics (compression test, leak-down test, cylinder condition check), and all tightening torques and angle tightening values must be taken strictly from the manufacturer's specifications for your engine.

Difficulty: Hard Time: 1-2 days (partial engine disassembly, oil pan and cylinder head removal) Steps: 13

Parts

9
  • 🔩 Engine gasket set (head gasket, oil pan gasket or sealant)
  • 🔩 Cylinder head bolts (single-use) set
  • 🔩 Connecting rod cap bolts (single-use) set
  • 🔩 Connecting rod bearings
  • 🔩 Piston rings or piston with rings
  • 🔩 Crankshaft seals if needed
  • 🔩 Engine oil
  • 🔩 Oil filter
  • 🔩 Coolant

Tools

11
  • Socket and wrench set
  • torque wrench (including angle tightening)
  • oil filter wrench
  • camshaft and crankshaft timing locking tools
  • cylinder ridge reamer (for removing the wear ridge)
  • wooden or plastic drift
  • marker for numbering
  • piston ring compressor
  • bore gauge
  • micrometer
  • clean containers for parts
There's a full repair manual for this car Every system, wiring diagrams and torque specs — not just this job. Haynes and 5 more. See manuals →

Step by step

13 steps
  1. Disconnect the battery. Raise the vehicle on a lift, then drain the engine oil and coolant. Remove the engine undercover.
  2. Remove the intake tract: air duct, intercooler and boost pipes, throttle body. Disconnect the sensor and ignition coil connectors, then remove the coils and spark plugs.
  3. Remove the fuel rail and direct injectors, first relieving the pressure in the fuel system (this engine runs at high pressure). Cover all openings with clean plugs.
  4. Remove the exhaust manifold together with the turbocharger (on this engine it is integrated into the assembly) and disconnect the turbo oil and coolant lines. Soak the fasteners with penetrating oil beforehand, as the studs break easily.
  5. Set the cylinder 1 piston to TDC and lock the camshafts with the special locking tools. Remove the timing cover, release the chain tensioner, and take the chain off the camshaft sprockets, marking the chain position relative to the timing marks. Do not turn the crankshaft with the chain removed.
  6. Remove the valve cover and camshafts. Loosen the cylinder head bolts in the reverse of the tightening sequence, in several passes, and remove the cylinder head. The head bolts are single-use; replace the gasket.
  7. Remove the oil pan (and, if necessary, the oil pickup tube and oil baffle). Clean the mating surfaces without damaging them.
  8. Inspect the upper edge of the cylinders: if there is a pronounced wear ridge, remove it with a ridge reamer, otherwise the rings will break when the piston is pushed up.
  9. Mark the connecting rod caps and the rods themselves with cylinder numbers and the direction toward the timing chain. Unscrew the connecting rod cap bolts (one at a time, evenly) and remove the cap with the bearing shell, taking care not to mix up the shells.
  10. Push the piston up and out through the cylinder with a wooden or plastic drift, supporting the connecting rod so that you do not scratch the crankshaft journal or the cylinder wall. Do not let the connecting rod hit the cylinder walls.
  11. Lay out the piston assemblies with their connecting rods and bearing shells in cylinder order. Inspect the skirt, rings, ring grooves and cylinder wall, and measure clearances and dimensions according to the specifications.
  12. Reassemble in reverse order: new connecting rod and cylinder head bolts, tightened with angle tightening per the manufacturer's table, new gaskets, and bearing shells lubricated with clean oil. Stagger the ring gaps around the piston circumference, compress the rings with a ring compressor, and point the arrow or mark on the piston toward the timing chain (as it was when removed). Tighten only with a torque wrench.
  13. After reassembly, fill with fresh oil and coolant and prime the oil system by cranking the engine with the starter without starting it (ignition coils and injectors disabled). Then start the engine and check the oil pressure and for leaks. Break the engine in for the first 1,000 km (about 600 miles) without high loads.

Common mistakes and warnings

  • This work requires precision and special tools: an error in the timing marks, the connecting rod bolt tightening torque, or the bearing shell installation will cause serious engine damage
  • If you have no experience with major engine overhauls, it is better to go to a specialized repair shop
  • Use only new connecting rod bolts and cylinder head bolts
  • Before starting, disconnect the battery and let the engine cool down completely