It is not a good idea to pull against the case. Next time you do that and
come across a really stubborn pin pull the connection rod and check for the
obvious bearing distortion, opposite sides.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
pickle vanagon
Sent: Wednesday, October 03, 2012 6:15 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Trouble getting WBX piston out

Instead of a puller you can use a threaded rod with nuts and washers on one
side of the pin and on the outside of the case.  Just turn the nuts on the
threaded rods.
(In a pinch, doing it this way you can remove the pistons with the engine
still in the vehicle.)

On Wed, Oct 3, 2012 at 1:06 PM, Jim Felder <jim.felder@gmail.com> wrote:

> I managed to get the heads off of all the waterboxer's cylinders but
one...
> and that one I had to stand on in the driveway and whang it with a
> hammer like it was a brake drum. Anyway it's out and now it needs to
> go back in. I have the wrist pin pulled out of the piston about 1/4
> inch past the piston edge, so I've made a little progress, but now it
> seems that it does not want to move any more, at least with what I am
> moving it with. I have a bolt on my puller, about 3 pounds, and I put
> the head through and catch it on the far side of the wrist pin, working
from the front of the engine.
>
> Does anyone know of a better way? A better choice of puller tools (I
> don't have any fancy expanding collets)? Would about an hour of
> propane on the piston crown loosen things up around the wrist pin?
>
> Got the heads back, want to get on with this project.
>
> Jim
>