Finally swapped rod bearings (at 208k miles)

[rbruso]

So, a combination of time and money finally came together and I swapped my rod bearings.

The car was on the original bearings at about 208,000 miles. I was expecting copper, but why only on the four center bearings?

Here are all six. Belts are to the right, tranny to the left. In both pictures, cap is top, rod is bottom:

And closer in on the center four:

All the bearings were exactly where they should have been and no signs of trauma on the crank :woo-hoo:

Gotta get back out there and finish buttoning up the job.

 

[boat]

Sounds like a nicely taken care of SHO to get that kind of miles out of rod bearings.

 

[_JR_]

I just saw the pictures on SHOSpeed while i was uploading some pic's. I was scoping it out on there!

Thanks for sharing the pictures!

 

[luigisho]

For the mileage, those are some of the best looking bearings I've seen.

 

[SHOtime2511]

^agreed.
looks like you engine has been well cared for.

 

[stangeater]

somebody changed their oil on a regular basis!

 

[itwonder]

Much better than most...could they have been changed before?

 

[rbruso]

Much better than most...could they have been changed before?

I got the car with about 130k in 2001. None of his records showed rod bearings being changed. He also kept swapping in 9 1/4" clutches and got the cheapest black paint job I had seen in a long time. Oh, and he hadn't ever done a 60k on it. When I picked the car up it hadn't been driven in a few months because it needed tie rod ends and he didn't want to pay for that.

Just doesn't seem like the type that would spring for something that would be expensive for a shop to do just for preventative maintenance. The engine was an early September 88 build and the car was a mid November build, so I doubt it has been swapped, and he seemed like the type that would dump the car if the engine crapped out.

And I'm not exactly easy on the car. It's a daily driver and my commute is short. The car has been to California once and as far as Flagstaff a few times, but most of those miles have been built up in Southern Arizona. And she sees 6800+ rpm regularly. I do change the oil regularly, though, and it's had two 60k services since I picked it up.

I'm slowly getting her back into the shape she should be in.

Is it possible the factory switched bearing suppliers somewhere along the line and later bearings didn't last as long? I was looking at the worn bearings on shosource and they seemed way more worn with much lower miles.

BTW, the back of the bearing is stamped D8H with a logo I don't recognize:

Anyone seen this on their bearings?

 

[lowc]

that kinda looks like the national logo

 

[cfamilyfix]

Much better than most...could they have been changed before?

That was my first impression too. Copper on all of mine at 120k...lol

 

[RonPorter]

With oil changes and PROPER DRIVING, they should last. If the PO lugged around in 5th gear at 20 mph, he would pound them out.

I drive my MTX cars at no less than 2K in each gear. I don't shift a V6 into 5th until 55 mph.

I drove the crap out of my original '89, with multiple 7K shifts every day. The next owner, who drives the same, changed the rod bearings at 200K while he was fixing the leaky oil pan. I didn't see them, but he said the originals looked pretty good.

I also changed the oil every 3K with whatever brand had a sale.

 

[AREA 91]

with oil changes and proper driving, they should last. If the po lugged around in 5th gear at 20 mph, he would pound them out.

I drive my mtx cars at no less than 2k in each gear. I don't shift a v6 into 5th until 55 mph.

I drove the crap out of my original '89, with multiple 7k shifts every day. The next owner, who drives the same, changed the rod bearings at 200k while he was fixing the leaky oil pan. I didn't see them, but he said the originals looked pretty good.

I also changed the oil every 3k with whatever brand had a sale.

bingo!!!

 

[DavesNOThereMAN]

I also changed the oil every 3K with whatever brand had a sale.

Changing the oil every 3k miles is a waste of good oil and money. With the way they make synthetic oil these days you can wait 8k-10k miles and it will still have ample viscoscity especially the way you claim you are driving..

People who need to change the oil at every 3k miles are people who drive like they are drag racing all the time and beating on the car like a red headed stepchild..

 

[rbruso]

I drive my MTX cars at no less than 2K in each gear.

Even with my previous '89 I never let it get below 2K except when the clutch was disengaged. I'm sure that's contributed to the life of these bearings.

I'm still planning to inspect these bearings either when the engine hits 300k or when I pull it to put in a 3.2.

Oh, and I finally finished buttoning her up today and took her for a ride. Put on about 10-15 miles, first in town at low RPM then progressively higher on the bypass. I think I got everything back together right.

Tomorrow: fuel pump & filter.

 

[biker889]

Changing the oil every 3k miles is a waste of good oil and money. With the way they make synthetic oil these days you can wait 8k-10k miles and it will still have ample viscoscity especially the way you claim you are driving..

People who need to change the oil at every 3k miles are people who drive like they are drag racing all the time and beating on the car like a red headed stepchild..

I would never wait 8-10k. My engine has been run on mobile one, changed every 3-5k since new. I can guarantee you have never seen a cleaner engine with 150k on it.

I bet you never cut a filter open at that mileage....try it sometime, it will fall apart in your hands.
For arguments sake, (assuming normal driving condtitions, ample warm up time, over 10 miles per trip, not beating it) I could see changing the filter 2to3 times and the oil once in 10k. But again...how much extra time and money is it for the insurance of knowing its fresh.

 

[RonPorter]

Changing the oil every 3k miles is a waste of good oil and money. With the way they make synthetic oil these days you can wait 8k-10k miles and it will still have ample viscoscity especially the way you claim you are driving..

People who need to change the oil at every 3k miles are people who drive like they are drag racing all the time and beating on the car like a red headed stepchild..

Maybe, maybe not.

I have all the proof I need with that '89. NOBODY drove a SHO harder over 10 years and 180K+ miles. Burnouts, dragstrips, track days, and 7K shifts VERY frequently.

The car is now being parted out, since the body is a rusty mess. Many of the parts are going into my white '89.

BUT, Tim Pavlik is saving the engine and tranny. That engine still kicks ass at 220K miles.

Anyone can debate extended changes and such, but regular 3K changes on a performance engine WORK.

Oh, BTW, after a number of turbo failures, Subaru now recommends the Severe Duty oil changes for every turbo engine at 3,750 miles. And they neither recommend nor discourage synthetic usage. They are adamant about those oil changes (7,500 for a regular engine) regardless of oil used.

I used to do 7,500 changes iin the LGT with M1 or Castrol. I'm now back to dino every 3-4K miles.

 

[DavesNOThereMAN]

Maybe, maybe not.

I have all the proof I need with that '89. NOBODY drove a SHO harder over 10 years and 180K+ miles. Burnouts, dragstrips, track days, and 7K shifts VERY frequently.

The car is now being parted out, since the body is a rusty mess. Many of the parts are going into my white '89.

BUT, Tim Pavlik is saving the engine and tranny. That engine still kicks ass at 220K miles.

Anyone can debate extended changes and such, but regular 3K changes on a performance engine WORK.

Oh, BTW, after a number of turbo failures, Subaru now recommends the Severe Duty oil changes for every turbo engine at 3,750 miles. And they neither recommend nor discourage synthetic usage. They are adamant about those oil changes (7,500 for a regular engine) regardless of oil used.

I used to do 7,500 changes iin the LGT with M1 or Castrol. I'm now back to dino every 3-4K miles.

I dunno, I dont think the engine will suffer or wear quicker if you wait till 7500 miles and has been much debate about it. Also no one uses/makes dino oil. Its either Synthetic or semi synthetic... That thick goopy dino oil hasnt been manufactured in decades..

 

[RonPorter]

I dunno, I dont think the engine will suffer or wear quicker if you wait till 7500 miles and has been much debate about it. Also no one uses/makes dino oil. Its either Synthetic or semi synthetic... That thick goopy dino oil hasnt been manufactured in decades..

WHAT??

Sorry, visit a parts store. All quick-oil-change places use dino, and I just bought some for the truck at Advance the other day.

Semi-syntheitic is as useless as all-season tires.

Get a clue. I refrain from calling you what I think of your comments, but quit reading Consumer Reports for your car info.

Oh, sorry, I have a warranty. And I believe that Subaru knows a "bit" more about what works for them than what you think.

 

[sdpatt]

I believe that oil matters a great deal.

1991 SHO, 21 years, 416,750 miles, changed OEM rod bearings at 258,000 miles, have used only Castrol GTX (High Mileage for a while) 10W-30 at 3,000 mile intervals. No sludge and the cam lobes still looked great during the last gapping service at 405,000 miles.

Has anybody reached that level on Mobil 1, Pennzoil, Quaker State or any oil with 7,500 mile change intervals?

 

[.RaMpAgE.]

i have a feeling that im gonna have to do rod bearings lol saw some metal shavings on my oil plug.....i have a feeling they havent been changed just shy of 150k