Questions about rod bearings

[Pro*banshee]

Just pound it back on and tap back and forth a tiny tiny tiny amount until you feel it come loose. The tolerances are very tight and as a result a little bit of skew on the studs sticks the cap in place until you tap it back off


<edit>
Alternatively, leave the cap right where it is and tap on the studs of the rod to push the piston up into the cylinder

 

[jonmon6691]

Ya, I did that second one after re-reading the Phoenix how-to page. I was tapping at the base of the stud instead on the top of it. I'll post pics of them when I'm finished. I already have #5 off and it looks really bad.

 

[whiteguy3]

Please check the journals on the crankshaft. If there are any pitted scratches or any lines that you can feel with your fingernail you can most likely toss it in the trash. Hope that there aren't and that you can breeze on through.

Question though, do you mind posting a pic of what you mean by "really bad"? Or just explain if you can't. Sometimes bad means lack of oil or sometimes it means completely torn apart and missing part of it.

 

[jonmon6691]

Here are close up pics of every bearing:
http://www.shospeed.com/main.php/v/jonmon6691/rodbearing/

 

[rubydist]

Yeah, its good for your engine that you decided to change those. As whiteguy3 said, run your fingernail on each of the crank journals - if you feel any kind of ridges or roughness, you'll need to have it ground if you want it to last.

 

[jonmon6691]

I checked the journals, I also plastiguaged #5 and it was within spec. Will a repair shop be able to clean out my oil pan? I don't have a way to contain the oil when I wash it so I'd rather not do it myself.

Also, when I was installing the new bearings, I used regular motor oil to coat them before I put them in. Then I read the part of the how-to that said to use "assembly ****" is there any difference?

 

[rubydist]

I use STP for assembly ****. Its thick and stays on, but its slippery as heck. That's all I use it for, so a bottle lasts forever.

 

[jonmon6691]

Is there a problem with using regular 5w-30 motor oil? B/c that's what I did.

 

[SHO_91]

Rod bearings

I used Castrol 10-W30 to pre-**** the bearings, that was ~20K mi ago. No ill side effects. I did make sure not to get any oil on the back side, though. And after I buttoned her up and re-filled with fresh Castrol GTX, I cranked the engine with disconnected DIS until the oil pressure light went out.

 

[jonmon6691]

O shit, I oiled both sides. Thank god I haven't put the oil pan back on. What can I use to get the oil off of the connecting rod without leaving fibers?

 

[SHO_91]

I am not exactly sure if it's super-critical, to my understanding there will be some oil getting back there anyhow due to oil pressure. You can see that when you look at the back side of your old bearings. I'm sure that it would've been better to install the back side dry, but is it worth it to take off the oil pan off again? The bearings are held in place by "bearing crush", they get crushed to the bearing saddle in the rods when you tighten down the rod bolts (you did the 2-step tightening sequence, right?). So a little oil shouldn't facilitate spinning the bearings, is my guess. Anybody who knows more about this?

Sorry - I just read that you haven't put the pan back on yet. Well, I'd just wipe the back side off with a fairly clean cloth...

 

[jonmon6691]

I torqued them both to 25 then to 35. I was thinking about it after I posted, and it seems like those notches that the bearing seats in would keep it from spinning even if it was lubricated. The only thing I could think of is that maybe it would effect the clearance on the other side?

 

[whiteguy3]

...and it seems like those notches that the bearing seats in would keep it from spinning even if it was lubricated.

Not True. But, it is not a huge deal that you lubed both sides. Just make sure you did a two stage torque method like you did; first 25 then about 35 ft lb's. Based on what you said you should be fine. Also, don't be afraid of going heavy on the right spots with the rtv and oil pan.

It's like putting on too much toothpaste on your toothbrush...never hurts unless it's oozing onto the inside of the pan...that wouldn't be such a good thing.

 

[jonmon6691]

unless it's oozing onto the inside of the pan...that wouldn't be such a good thing.

That's what it was doing when I got it off, and I'm pretty sure I was the first one to take that oil pan off since it rolled off the factory floor.

 

[whiteguy3]

Well when your making thousands of them the margin of error is a little bit bigger!

No seriously you just don't want those dried pieces falling into the oil. But, you should be fine if you use common sense about it.

 

[jonmon6691]

I'll post the video again for anyone that hasn't seen my other thread. I figure if anyone can hear something different than rod bearings so I can fix it before I put the bottom back together. My cousin suggested oil pump, and I think he might be right, seeing as how i left the cap off, something may have gotten into it.

Things to pay attention to:
*When I first start it, the oil light turns off very quickly, I wouldn't call this a flicker but who knows.
*At 1:15 you can hear the noise the best.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eCmrBJtkz4&feature=channel_page

 

[jonmon6691]

Ok, I wiped the outside of the bearings dry as well as the rod and cap. I also was a lot more precise in my torquing this time.

 

[shomtx95]

doesn't sound like a rod bearing, maybe the top end

 

[rubydist]

What do they sound like when the timing chain tensioner isn't working right? I would think that noise would be more like that...

 

[SHO_91]

Just for giggles, try pushing in the clutch pedal and listen if the noise goes away. In that case, it's a noisy throw-out bearing. Otherwise, I'm with rubydist... cam chain tensioner. Doesn't sound like rod knock...