pulled pan, found tappet holder and much more!

[Bob L.]

I pulled the pan and retrieved my tappet hold down tool. I also found metal shavings on the screen and in the bottom of the pan concentrated in the center. Magnet there? Not a lot but enough to raise my alarm. I decided to dig deaper and pulled the cap off # 6 since it was farthest away from the pump and found that the bearrings were AWFUL, especially the top one. It was well into the copper and had a score in it that was on both halves. The crank looks fine with no marks on it at all. The top one was all pitted and rough too, I can't believe it didn't make any noise??????? I haven't looked at the rest yet, I ordered all new bearrings, Clevites......$8.32 per set, I'll look at the others as I change them. FYI.....dealer was $28.62 per set.......UGH!!! There was a reason for that tool falling into the pan!!! I also got a code that told me an O2 sensor was bad, how can I tell which one? I used a Ford code reader and the code I got told me it was a HGO2 sensor......?????......
Thanks again to all who replied to my posts!
Bob eek!

 

[haydenm315]

Bob L.:
I pulled the pan and retrieved my tappet hold down tool. I also found metal shavings on the screen and in the bottom of the pan concentrated in the center. Magnet there? Not a lot but enough to raise my alarm. I decided to dig deaper and pulled the cap off # 6 since it was farthest away from the pump and found that the bearrings were AWFUL, especially the top one. It was well into the copper and had a score in it that was on both halves. The crank looks fine with no marks on it at all. The top one was all pitted and rough too, I can't believe it didn't make any noise??????? I haven't looked at the rest yet, I ordered all new bearrings, Clevites......$8.32 per set, I'll look at the others as I change them. FYI.....dealer was $28.62 per set.......UGH!!! There was a reason for that tool falling into the pan!!! I also got a code that told me an O2 sensor was bad, how can I tell which one? I used a Ford code reader and the code I got told me it was a HGO2 sensor......?????......
Thanks again to all who replied to my posts!
Bob eek!

I think we're on the same page bob. I'm in the process of doing bearings just like you. I found a socket and some aluminum shavings at the bottom of my pan. I had to coil a thread a while back and must have missed some aluminum because there was a shaving or so in the pan. I thought I got everything but apparantly not. My 6th cylinder bearings were pretty bad looking compared to all the others. Lots of oil burn marks and down to the copper. The surface on both the journal and bearing is still smooth without grooves. I had copper showing on all of the upper rod bearings with a decent amount of wear on the lower ones. Here is a picture of what I'm working with. Doing the first set I messed up and clamped the tabs on the bearings flush due to not having them lined up correctly. I went and ordered another set to replace my screw up.

Would the 6th cylinder be the one that suffers during low oil pressure situations like a bad start, stallling, or lugging the engine? You mentioned something about it being furthest away from the pump. I thought about the same thing. I started a thread the other day regarding rod bearings in this forum section. You might want to check it out.

I used plastigauge to verify the clearance on the rod with the most wear on the bearings. It showed .00020" worth of clearance. Spec is .00010-.00026" You should do the same, but don't go crazy doing all of them unless you want to buy new rod nuts and bolts. Someone informed me that they aren't supposed to be loosened and tightened more than a few times. Good luck man.

 

[AutoSHO]

I think if one Oxygen sensor is bad the other isn't far behind. Autozone sells the Bosch sensor for $35.99/each. Might as well do them now and not worry for another 60k.

 

[SHOtimer]

Bob, finding your bearings in such horrible condition I would not start that motor again unless you have all new bearings in it. You've done most of the work already by getting to the bearings.
Doug