#5 Rod Bearings Spent

[turbojimmy]

So now what?

I think the crank can be turned:
http://www.turbojimmy.com/gn_engine_pull/042702-04.jpg

That's the worst one. The bearings were completely hammered - chunks of metal in the sump and stuck to the crank:
http://www.turbojimmy.com/gn_engine_pull/042702-05.jpg

That's the #5 bearing.

So I figure crap's been circulated through the engine so I'm going to have it torn down. Car never smoked and ran awesome. Should I keep the stock pistons and rods? What else shoud I do to it? It's got 92k miles and I figure since it's out, I should do it right. The trans is basically brand new so I figure what the hey....

All the gory details of the engine pull are here:
http://www.turbojimmy.com/gn_engine_pull.html

Not really exciting pics, but some folks may want to see what they're in for.

TIA,
Jim

 

[Intercooler]

So what happened? Was it coolant in the oil, plugged up pick-up, detonation? Regardless, use the items you can. If the crank is .010" or less have it cut. I have some excellent shape stock pistons if yours have any damage but you may want to just get a new set of Hypers/Forged. Time for some ARP's in the rods, polish the beams, stud the bottom end, ARP's up top, decent bump stick, freshened and let it rock!

 

[Intercooler]

Just looking at your pictures a little closer and see you went from the side to lift the engine out. How did that work out? I always go from the front which puts my picker very close to the bumper. Also, I see you took the hood all the way off. I just pull out the bolts to the hood shocks and prop it back leaving it bolted in place.

 

[TurboJim]

Did you use a scotchbrite abrasive wheel when you did the intake/cam etc?

 

[gndude]

Sounds like your doing it right the first time.. Nice job documenting your project, it will help find the right location for those "spare" parts

Thanks for sharing the information on the engine pull, any tricks/special issues during the removal that others may find usefull?

 

[turbojimmy]

Thanks for the replies.

It was detonation that took it out. I was running a 98 octane chip on 94 octane gas with a lot of boost. I was using alky, but didn't have it dialed in properly evidently. I had a couple of occasions where I could hear the knock. Then it started to (rod) knock a little at idle, and one night it really let loose.

Yes, I went in from the side. I just bought that cherry picker for this job. The boom on it is a little over 48". Looked to me like it was a little short, so I went in from the side. It worked just as well as any job I've done from the front. The lift has casters that spin in all directions, so I was able to move the engine toward the front of the car even though the lift was on the side. It pretty much just pulled right out.

I followed the engine removal instructions on gnttype.org. The only things that were missing were that once you get the engine up a little, you disconnect the knock sensor and the hold-down for the TV cable on the back of the LH head (the article only mentioned the grounds on the RH head). I took the hood off 'cause with it propped open (struts unhooked) the bracket for the garage door opener would smack it. It was easier just to take it off so I can open and close the garage door.

And yes, I used Scotch-Brite abrasive wheels when I did the cam. I used them on the intake (off the car, obviously) but also the heads (on the car). There wasn't any sludge or clogging of the sump if that's what you're getting at. Could be plugged up other places, I suppose, but as I turned the crank with the engine out of the car a healthy amount of oil was coming out of the journals.

I took pics of things that I figured I wouldn't remember a month or two from now when I go to put it back in, plus some random shots (Elvis dropped by to help, so I had to snap that one).

Jim

 

[TurboJim]

Its most likely the scotchbrite that did that to the crank. That stuff is known to cause this. I have different wheels at work that are basically plastic brushes. I dont use the scotchbrite on internal motor stuff because of its tendency to get in the motor and be harder than the metal.

That bearing may have been hammered from detonation, but the scratches indicate contamination dude.

If you wanna get the thingies I use, theyre called "Bristle discs" and come in a couple different grades.

Anyway, I emailed you back, lemme know..

 

[turbojimmy]

Originally posted by TurboJim
That bearing may have been hammered from detonation, but the scratches indicate contamination dude.

If you wanna get the thingies I use, theyre called "Bristle discs" and come in a couple different grades.

Anyway, I emailed you back, lemme know..

All of 'em were scratched, but the #5 was hammered. I put newspaper in the lifter valley and stuffed it in all the ports. There's no way to catch it all, I guess.

Live and learn, I suppose.....

I'll check my mail now.

Jim

 

[Thunder]

TurboJim- where can I find these "Bristle Discs". Sound like a good thing to have in the garage.

Mike

 

[FJM568]

Man...I'm a machinist and I agree with Jim T on the scotchbrite disc thing...

When they first came out with the "gasket cleaning kits" that had the scotchbrite discs in them to "clean" the gasket material off of the mounting surfaces, I cringed...Sure they work, but if you put any amount of pressure while doing it, you WILL remove metal, not just the gasket you are trying to clean off, but the parent material you are trying to clean...I can't tell you how many parts I've had to remachine after someone used a scotchbrite disc to "clean" a mounting surface, that ended up not sealing properly because the surface wasn't flat when they got done with it... Along with that little problem, is the fact that all the dust and abrasive material that is coming off of the scotchbrite pads just gets into EVERYTHING!!! No matter how well you mask everything off, it will find a way to get in there...

I have never used the plastic bristle discs that Jim T described, but I would much rather use one of those than the scotchbrite discs...

Just my .02 worth...

 

[turbojimmy]

Originally posted by FJM568
Man...I'm a machinist and I agree with Jim T on the scotchbrite disc thing...

The other thing is that I had an oil leak that I just couldn't find or seal up. I pulled the intake and re-did the front and back where it meets the block, but it was still leaking a boatload of oil. Even with the engine out, I can't figure out where the hell it's coming from. Somewhere up front. I can only figure that I took too much material out of the soft aluminum timing chain cover with those damn scotchbrite pads. The intake sealed to the heads okay, tho.

They cleaned the gasket off in a hurry.....the price of the convenience is to great, I suppose.

Jim