Rod Bearing out, now what?

[SUPRDUD]

I got down and dirty and got to the bad rod bearing. It is in 4 pieces and the rod looks like it had gotten warm. Crank is a little rough on one side. I know the right thing to do but....

1. What is your experience with fine emery cloth on the crank and a new insert, fast and dirty? I know this goes on once in a while, how long does it last?

2. If I pull the crank out, can it be done with the motor in the car? It is a 93 ATX.

3. It blew up on a race track and the guy behind me said it let out a big cloud of smoke when it "went". What else could have caused that? May I have more trouble? I drove it home 10 miles gently with a knock. Yes, I know........should have got the trailer......

4. I have parts cars to pull a motor from. 3 more in fact!

 

[jthod]

I vote new or machined current crank.

I've heard of using an emery cloth type material to smooth out imperfections, but it depends on how bad it is I guess. If you've got another crank already, I'd just throw one in and a new set of rod and main bearings.

 

[SHOIT0ff]

Got any pics of the damaged surface? I personally would check over the area that is damaged and ask yourself if it is possible to fix it with emery cloth. If so, do it.....but if there are high spots or areas that look "picked up" (with bearing material), you may want to buy some flat polishing stones (3 different grades) and with a forward teetering motion, smooth out the high spots. Then you can use emery cloth To finish it. Cut off a piece of emery cloth (fine grit then very fine). Cut it to the width of the surface to polish and about the length of the circumference of the crank. Soak it in Varsol to keep it wet, and evenly polish the entire circumference. And if you want to check your work ....buy some "high spot bluing." this is a blue ink that never dries. Apply a super thin coat of bluing on the inner side of your rod bearing and "PLACE IT" on the crank then gently lift it off ....check to see if you can see an even coat of bluing on your new polished surface. if so, then your golden.... if there are "islands" of bluing then the surface is not smooth and still has high spots. hope that helps you. If you're scared you will screw it up i would say forget it and move to plan "B" whatever that may be.

 

[SuperHO]

yeah.....no. If you've got a good engine in one of the parts cars, just replace it. You can try to sand down the crank with emery cloth or whatever, but if it's not perfectly round anymore, you'll wind up breaking something anyway. not to mention your rod journal's most likely FUBARd as well, which means you'd do well to replace the rod, which means it'd probably be just as easy to swap an engine.


And FWIW, you theoretically CAN change the crank with the engine in the car, but you gotta pull the tranny off to do it...so you may as well yank the whole damn drivetrain.

 

[SUPRDUD]

"And FWIW, you theoretically CAN change the crank with the engine in the car, but you gotta pull the tranny off to do it...so you may as well yank the whole damn drivetrain."

That'w what I figured. With that and the junk on the other end, let alone the weight of the crank.....

I am still leaning to doing the bearing and take my luck as an "science experiment" while I pull the motor and tranny from another one.

I did have the tape measure out and a 360 Dodge will fit! Add a little body lift and a new frame underneath. Now THAT would be a Taurus X! Wow is that off topic.....but I have a whole private junkyard out back.....

 

[smokekicsazz]

X1 on R&R engine..You will never get the crank journel the way it was before the spun bearing, and putting a crank in is a PITA!!! You might as well just do the engine and get it over with...

 

[SUPRDUD]

After thinking it over for a day, I will put the pan back on, roll it outside and pull a parts car in to get a good motor prepped for a swap.

 

[luigisho]

Best plan. Good luck. Change those bearings and seals while the motor is out and accessable. No point in doing it again anytime soon.

 

[SUPRDUD]

After laying my eyes on a real life 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T today, I am ready to crush the SHO collection and go $50K in debt. This thing is 100 times cooler in person than in photos.

Must.....get......over......it.......

 

[luigisho]

Too much coin. Wait 2 years and pick one up for much less.