Spun bearing :(

[CheckerSHO]

I bought a 93 SHO recently that has a knock...didnt sound too bad so i was going to put rod bearings in it(like i did my 90 when it had a slight knock) well i pulled the oil pan and found a pile of copper...digging further found number 6 rod flopping 'round, and the bearing is beat to almost nothing. black streaks on crank but dosnt feel rough. rod studs are loose(will push out) and i think they are supossed to be press-fit?
Opinions? i already bought rod bearings so i guess ill put them in...just wondering if its a lost cause frown

 

[Machspeed]

Sounds like your crank my be damaged. frown

 

[projectSHO89]

The rod needs new studs and maybe a new rod. I don't know if that is possible without compleely removing the rod and piston from the block. I wouldn't be optimistic.... But get an opinon from a machine shop that does a lot of engine rebuilding.

Steve

 

[Bizzy]

sounds like time for a 3.2 conversion, if its a MTX

If the rod studs are loose it sounds like it was really taking a beating, and that rod might need to be replaced. SHO-Ripper in the WTB section was selling 3.0 rods for a pretty good price. Though if you watch ebay long enough you can get a whole set for the asking price for one. But then again is the extra few bucks saved worth waiting weeks for?

When my Opal Frost spun a bearing, no-one really thought it was a spun bearing but I figured what the **** and tore into it. Sure enough #2 from the FW was spun, but I had no little bits of metal in my oil, and the crank looked pretty good. So slap in some new bearings and away I went. 7k later, I hear some noise, but I'm starting to think it might be a fron cam chain tensioner failing. But I want a 3.2 more than I want to figure out what might be wrong with this engine now

 

[Off Road SHO]

Cheapest fix would be to get new rod bolts, nuts and bearings. It will be difficult to put the new bolts in while the rod and piston are still in the motor but not impossible.

Polish up the bad journal with crocus cloth and mineral oil or spirits.

Do the bad rod bearing first and use plastigage to check for an ovalized journal due to the hammering.

Good luck.

Tom

 

[Mark W]

Oh,Man!!!!!

I am DROOLING (yes, all caps) over that picture!

What is that fine piece of machinery? I've dreamed of getting a SHO motor and putting it into my 4 cylinder Mustang. I know the 5.0 liter would be much easier, but I like the power curve and revving of the SHO motor. It makes a 5.0 seem like a tractor.

Details, please.

 

[Off Road SHO]

If you're talking to me, it's a Tatum Motorsports Sand Demon. Dual bypass shocks at the rear with about 20" of wheel travel, and remote resevoir coil overs on the front with about 18" of travel.

I've been tinkering around with her for about a year now. Took me about three years to save up enough money to have her built.

These cars are usually found with high hp Corvette motors in them now, but I wanted something different and thought I was going to be the second buggy in the Phoenix area. Turns out there are 6 or 7 other guys that discovered the great torque curve and relative low price of the SHO motor.

I am now helping 2 or 3 other guys get theirs running right.

My junk yard motor has a bad knock that I can't find yet but it gets up and hauls A$$ anyway.

I am currently looking for a suitable rear wheel or all wheel drive donor car to do another transplant.

Tom

 

[NetNinja]

I love that custom Yamaha cover!
where did you get it?

How much did it cost you?

 

[Off Road SHO]

I had them made. I am going to sell them eventually but I still need to do the o-rings and get them polished. They are for the 3.2 only.

Tom

 

[keli]

Off Road SHO:


Do the bad rod bearing first and use plastigage to check for an ovalized journal due to the hammering.

I'm confused. Wouldn't you use plastigage to, say, check for oil clearance on a journal? If you were going to check for oval/out of roundness on the journal, wouldn't you be using a micrometer to measure it?

 

[luigisho]

Uh oh. She's everywhere. Welcome aboard.

 

[keli]

luigisho:
Uh oh. She's everywhere. Welcome aboard.

muahahahahhahaha, you'll be seeing a lot of me around the shoforums, get used to it luigi

 

[Off Road SHO]

keli:

Off Road SHO:


Do the bad rod bearing first and use plastigage to check for an ovalized journal due to the hammering.

I'm confused. Wouldn't you use plastigage to, say, check for oil clearance on a journal? If you were going to check for oval/out of roundness on the journal, wouldn't you be using a micrometer to measure it?

It sounded like he didn't have those kind of tools. If the plastigage says anything over .004 inches, he's found out what he needs to know and he hasn't spent a lot of money.

But you are right, the absolutely best way to measure for out of roundness is with a micrometer, preferably a ball point one.

Tom

 

[keli]

Just making sure I wasn't losing my mind. Beautiful engine there.

 

[Off Road SHO]

Thanks.


Tom

 

[CheckerSHO]

I do have micrometers but don't really care to measure the journals and i now know that there was no need-
Update- found out why the bottom end was fried to begin with...after putting the new bearings in, i took the car for a test drive and it was ok for first 3 miles or so, then as i was about to pull back in the dealership it dropped to about 10psi oil pressure and started knocking again
and now that i look at the bearings again, it seems like that was what happened to begin with-run with low to no oil pressure.
So...im pretty much writing off this motor. I have another motor with 88k on it that im going to reseal and re-ring to put in it

 

[Off Road SHO]

I wouldn't tear down an 88k SHO motor for new rings. The re-seal is a good idea though with a good cleaning of the intake, shim job, water pump et al. Do the rod bearings also while it's out of the car also.

Tom

 

[CheckerSHO]

Ok after these pics, i will let this thread die like it deserves to

the semi-good bearing is from the crank pulley end of the crankshaft, the other one, is from the last rod. Enjoy the carnage thumb

Edit:any Ford/lincoln/merc techs recognize that sticker?

<small>[ November 30, 2003, 09:42 PM: Message edited by: CheckerSHO ]</small>