SAVAGEJIM

Yeah, the best way to get the piston out is to use teh trick with a zip-tie strap through the exhaust port. (Be prepared to lose the zip-tie as this trick will proabaly sever the strap especially if your piston and sleeve have a good pinch on them).

The trick is to, of course, take teh zip-tie strap, slip it through the block's exhaust port, and with the flywheel still on, turn the flywheel so that tha piston is going up. The piston will raise the sleeve significantly. If you cannot pull the sleeve out with your fingers, do not use pliers to pull it out. Continue to turn the flywheel and sever the tie-strap; the strap will be cut but the sleeve will continue to come up untill it is finally far enough out to pull with your fingers. Once the sleeve is out of the block, the con-rod will fall of the crank journal easily and the piston and conrod will fall out the top of the block.