[Christ]

Originally Posted by dcb

I think you should try to do it without taking the heads off or it will never get done

so:
1. pop off the oilpan.
2. remove the big end caps on the two cylinders you want to deactivate.
3. pull the sparkplugs on those cylinders
4. take a washer and a long drywall screw and drill it into the piston through the sparkplug hole to "secure" it at the top of its travel.
5. sawzall off the bottom end of those con rods so the crank doesn't hit it (perhaps do this earlier so you don't stress out your drywall screw).
6. remove lifters on those cylinders
7. enjoy 2 cylinder goodness

I was thinking about something like this last night, except cutting the conrod right below the wrist pin, then topping out the piston in the bore and fastening it in there. Alternatively, if I wanted to break the piston, I could take it out the bottom, but the wrist pin would fight me every step of the way.

I don't want to be putting screws and such into things, though, especially when that might introduce metal shavings to the oil.