Rod Berrings

[zblackbeast]

Ok, im sorry if im getting annoying, but ive read some posts where the rod berrings spin. I know this is a bad thing. TO change out these berrings do i need to take the crank to a shop to have them machiene it. My oil pressure light comes on at idle. I figured while the motor and tranny was out we would do the berrings, but that means timming as well. So please let me know. THanks all. ill do some more research and see what i can find!

 

[K-Dawg]

If you aren't hearing any knocking, I would just replace them. Don't even need to take the crank out of the block.

 

[Eric VerValin]

If the lights been on for a while, but its not knocking or ticking / tapping, I would probally just roll some bearings into it. But I would also definately check them all with some plastiguage! Should be easy if the entire motor is out.

 

[zblackbeast]

Yea. Well, i only drove it about10 miles after i bought i before it was garaged. and it sat for a while before we bought it because the trans was shot. But when we started it and drove it, there was no kocking or anything. We did notice that it didnt drive like a sho,. that it was slow up top so idk...

 

[Eric VerValin]

Thats probally more of a sensor / tune up issue. But just know that "knocking" really can be a pretty quiet thing. I had a TOB getting noisy and it did a damn good job of hiding the ticking that was goin on in mine. Then I got the joy of building a new motor!


Edit: Now that I think about it.. I know about the sound you'll hear... its kinda similar to a GM 3100, or 3400, 3500 (same damn thing)... when it starts up cold. In that motor its the rockers and that garbage making noise, but when the SHO starts ticking, its only about half that loud, if that. I'm sure you've ridden in one of those before... ? Grand AM, Malibu, Montana, Impala's, any 'midrange GM v-6" basically have those motors available.

 

[zblackbeast]

Yea, i had the pleasure of rebuilding a 3100.. Threw rod berrings all over the place!! ha Those motors are never happy to start up... i dont remember hearing that noise, and i cant start it to test it because everything is disconnected except for the motor mounts and axle shafts

 

[victorymike18]

Ok, im sorry if im getting annoying, but ive read some posts where the rod berrings spin. I know this is a bad thing. TO change out these berrings do i need to take the crank to a shop to have them machiene it. My oil pressure light comes on at idle. I figured while the motor and tranny was out we would do the berrings, but that means timming as well. So please let me know. THanks all. ill do some more research and see what i can find!

I don't want to come across as a grammar **** but:

Bearings

Timing

...

Regarding one of your questions: I've read on here that the bearing journals on the crankshaft cannot be machined because it will remove the hardened surface on the journals and lead to premature bearing failure in the future.

 

[Eric VerValin]

Well black... what you could do.. is plastiguage it before you put bearings in it, and see how big of a gap is there. But if you're going to do that.. you might as well change em. More of a peice of mind kinda thing. Then you know you got a good 60,000 miles before you even have to worry about em.

And don't ya love the amount of sludge, and crap in the 3100's? I've done 4 so far, and got another guy wanting me to fix his.. It's a nice job to know how to do.. pay's pretty well, and is pretty straight forward work.

 

[1993MTXSHO]

I don't want to come across as a grammar **** but:

Bearings

Timing

...

Regarding one of your questions: I've read on here that the bearing journals on the crankshaft cannot be machined because it will remove the hardened surface on the journals and lead to premature bearing failure in the future.

yeah, or lead to a snapped crank

 

[yzstud]

Well black... what you could do.. is plastiguage it before you put bearings in it, and see how big of a gap is there. But if you're going to do that.. you might as well change em. More of a peice of mind kinda thing. Then you know you got a good 60,000 miles before you even have to worry about em.

And don't ya love the amount of sludge, and crap in the 3100's? I've done 4 so far, and got another guy wanting me to fix his.. It's a nice job to know how to do.. pay's pretty well, and is pretty straight forward work.

tell ya one thing, out of all my gm 60 degree engines I have done(2.8,3.1,3.4,3.8 intake manifold gaskets, head gaskets) none of them were "sludged" up at all. It all depends on the type of oil and oil change frequency

as far as them 3100's throwing rods all the time, thats news to me. The only internal hard parts going bad that I know of are the lifters. They are like $60 for the set, and are easy to replace

 

[zblackbeast]

HA, i apologize, when im in a rush i dont think things through and i miss spell words and just leave them. im sorry...

Yea, that what ill probly end up doing just changing them out and measuring the gap. One thing i did notice when i was looking for some on the web was that there are standard and oversized. Whats the difference?

Yea, it was so bad. we had to beat the oil pan to get it off. It was a mess. Also i learned how to cam time a 3.4 DOHC used in the GTP's. those motors are pretty sick... sadly we couldnt get it to start once we put it in the cuttlas so the 3100 went back in... Oh well. We plan on restoring my buddys 94 GTP when were done with the sho here in a few months! were taking our time!!

 

[yzstud]

HA, i apologize, when im in a rush i dont think things through and i miss spell words and just leave them. im sorry...

Yea, that what ill probly end up doing just changing them out and measuring the gap. One thing i did notice when i was looking for some on the web was that there are standard and oversized. Whats the difference?

Yea, it was so bad. we had to beat the oil pan to get it off. It was a mess. Also i learned how to cam time a 3.4 DOHC used in the GTP's. those motors are pretty sick... sadly we couldnt get it to start once we put it in the cuttlas so the 3100 went back in... Oh well. We plan on restoring my buddys 94 GTP when were done with the sho here in a few months! were taking our time!!

holy holy crap!!!!
if u said u timed it urself, which manual did u use?
I can't remember which one it was, but one of them repair manuals is WRONG!!!
it told me to line up the intermediate shaft timing gear with the crank pulley
WRONG

Line up the crank pulley with the mark on the outer side of the block

 

[zblackbeast]

Yea, there was also alittle tool we used to hold the cams in place while we rotated to the motor to TDC on each side. and it also help keep the cams 180 degrees apart.

 

[yzstud]

Yea, there was also alittle tool we used to hold the cams in place while we rotated to the motor to TDC on each side. and it also help keep the cams 180 degrees apart.

it should be set on tdc #1 cylinder with the camshaft gears loose to allow the belt to spin. The "flats" on the cams on all four should be facing up, slip the belt on the system, hold down the rear 2 cams with the tools and tighten down the camshaft gears to the specified amount. Then remove the tools and rotate the crank until the rear flats are facing down, while using the hold down tool, position the tool on the flats of the front camshafts torque the camshaft gears then remove the tool and properly set tension to the belt by removing the paperclip that is holding the tensioner in the retracted position, then rotate the tensioner into the belt to set proper tension. After ur finished the timing mark on the crank should line up with the mark on the outside of the block.

One of those repair manuals, like i stated before, told me the wrong way to time it. I ended up being like 20 degrees off. It still ran, just not very good though

 

[Eric VerValin]

ummm.. I just lined up the dots.. Helped to mark the chains too..

 

[zblackbeast]

We had two tools so we had both set with the flat part up and the cam gears loose with the belt on so we can rotate the motor to TDC on each side