In-car oil pan R&R and bearing replacement?

[Blazer406]

Sounds like its fine for now. Remember to seat rings you need some boost! Not a lot but 5lbs in quick blasts & the rings are seated in the first 50 miles but they need that boost so dont baby it! Worst thing you can do.

I was smart enough to put a stock turbo on the car for break-in so I could get in some boost. I am planning on starting at 14 psi..... and within 10 miles of stop and go.... progress up to 20-21 .... again with the stock turbo.

I figured I wouldn't have been able to baby it if I would have put the TE45A on it..... or my other turbo.... a 70 P-Trim .... If something isn't quite right... I have a little more time to "get-out-of-it" without severe consequences..... with the 45A.... it needs to be right before you get-in-it.....IMHO..... you know the short fuse and the long fuse...

The bigger turbos will be installed soon enough...

 

[Blazer406]

Well.... after a 30 mile drive.... and plenty of heat.... and a few snorts to 15 psi boost..... the oil pressure just wasn't good at idle. It even set off the oil light in the dash if it idled...but if you gave it any gas... the oil pressure went past 40 before 1200 RPM..... with the crappy idle pressure.....I had no choice.... but to pull the engine.

I started about 5:30 this afternoon. I got it out... and on the stand... flipped it over and pulled the pan.

The intention was to check with plastigauge.... then go from there. I bought 2 sticks of green.... and 1 stick of red.... opened up the green... no stick.... .... opened the second green.... no stick.... .... so I only had red... which goes from .002-.006 I think.

I pulled #2 main..... cleaned bearing in cap with brake parts cleaner... then put some on a shop towel... and wiped the main journal on the crank.... dried it.... then put a small piece on the main journal.... and reinstalled the cap and torqued to 90 ft lbs...... came back at .003 clearance.

Checked the rest 1 by one.

Here are the results:

#1 main - .003
#2 main - .003
#3 main - .003
# 4 main - .0035

Only had time to check one rod bearing....

#5 rod - .002

Assuming all the rods are .002 here is the plan.... tell me what you think....

Purchase a set of .001 bearings for the mains... and have them coated.

Purchase a set of std. bearings for the rods... and have them coated...

This should yield around .0015 on the rods.... and .0015 on mains 1,2, and 3 and around .002 on the #4 main.....

I guess those main clearances (what I have currently) are sufficient enough to cause the oil pressure drop I am seeing?

Any thoughts?

 

[Nasty Wendy]

You can buy the bearings from Weber Racing with the coating done. No need to buy bearings and then have them coated.

 

[HP Man]

Simple question, who built the engine? Sounds like a Chevy builder, loose clearances. My engine had 25# oil pressure at hot idle and was built by a Buick Engine builder, oil pump booster plate (modded) and other following suggested mods. The whole Buick Engine needs oiling mods to improve the oiling system, front block oil galleys, front cover, oil pump assembled correctly with shimming, front cam bearing oiling hole mods. I'd pull the engine a check it over as doing it in car is a PITA, 2 hrs to pull engine, my opinion of course. Good Luck. HTH Gene

 

[Blazer406]

Simple question, who built the engine? Sounds like a Chevy builder, loose clearances. My engine had 25# oil pressure at hot idle and was built by a Buick Engine builder, oil pump booster plate (modded) and other following suggested mods. The whole Buick Engine needs oiling mods to improve the oiling system, front block oil galleys, front cover, oil pump assembled correctly with shimming, front cam bearing oiling hole mods. I'd pull the engine a check it over as doing it in car is a PITA, 2 hrs to pull engine, my opinion of course. Good Luck. HTH Gene

I did pull the engine. It is on the stand now..... when I started the thread... I was thinking I might do it in car... but I'm fat and out of shape... .....and didn't want to fight it laying down..... so I pulled the motor back out last night....

 

[A2000RICH]

Well.... after a 30 mile drive.... and plenty of heat.... and a few snorts to 15 psi boost..... the oil pressure just wasn't good at idle. It even set off the oil light in the dash if it idled...but if you gave it any gas... the oil pressure went past 40 before 1200 RPM..... with the crappy idle pressure.....I had no choice.... but to pull the engine.

I started about 5:30 this afternoon. I got it out... and on the stand... flipped it over and pulled the pan.

The intention was to check with plastigauge.... then go from there. I bought 2 sticks of green.... and 1 stick of red.... opened up the green... no stick.... .... opened the second green.... no stick.... .... so I only had red... which goes from .002-.006 I think.

I pulled #2 main..... cleaned bearing in cap with brake parts cleaner... then put some on a shop towel... and wiped the main journal on the crank.... dried it.... then put a small piece on the main journal.... and reinstalled the cap and torqued to 90 ft lbs...... came back at .003 clearance.

Checked the rest 1 by one.

Here are the results:

#1 main - .003
#2 main - .003
#3 main - .003
# 4 main - .0035

Only had time to check one rod bearing....

#5 rod - .002

Assuming all the rods are .002 here is the plan.... tell me what you think....

Purchase a set of .001 bearings for the mains... and have them coated.

Purchase a set of std. bearings for the rods... and have them coated...

This should yield around .0015 on the rods.... and .0015 on mains 1,2, and 3 and around .002 on the #4 main.....

I guess those main clearances (what I have currently) are sufficient enough to cause the oil pressure drop I am seeing?

Any thoughts?

my suggestion is to stop everything till you get some green plastigauge------a while back i did a lot of comparisons of measured clearances vs plastigauge --------Very careful comparisons-------none of the stuff is accurate near the lower limit of its range-------red will show in the .003 range no matter how tight it is and green will show in the .001 range no matter how tight the bearings are--------plastigauge is not very linear even though it seems like it would have to be------and its worse near the lower limits--------want to prove it to youself try this simple test-------use green and red on the same bearing------they will not agree if the actual clearances are near the lower range of either of the plastigauges.................RC

 

[HP Man]

I did pull the engine. It is on the stand now..... when I started the thread... I was thinking I might do it in car... but I'm fat and out of shape... .....and didn't want to fight it laying down..... so I pulled the motor back out last night....

I'm fat and lazy too! Working on both problems now. Did you line bore the main caps, hone? Might think about having it done if not? Coatings will eventually wear off, some times you may need several sets of bearings to get a tight fit, even mixing stock with undersize ones? I too like the Mic Method instead of plasti-guage for proper bearing clearances. Buick Engines are critical on fitting bearings, narrow journals and large diameter bearings, John Deere Cranks! Some simple advice. GL Gene

 

[Blazer406]

I'm fat and lazy too! Working on both problems now. Did you line bore the main caps, hone? Might think about having it done if not? Coatings will eventually wear off, some times you may need several sets of bearings to get a tight fit, even mixing stock with undersize ones? I too like the Mic Method instead of plasti-guage for proper bearing clearances. Buick Engines are critical on fitting bearings, narrow journals and large diameter bearings, John Deere Cranks! Some simple advice. GL Gene

Yes... the block was line bored after cap installation.

I am planning on mixing the std coated rod bearings and .001 coated bearings to achieve around .0015 clearance.... maybe even a little tighter on the rods...

My target on the mains at this point is hoping for under .002.

I am not planning on a complete engine disassembly.... so as much as I would like to tear it back down completely and measure each and every thing... I am likely going to roll new bearings in the mains... and mix and match the rods...check the clearances with plastigauge.... and let it go this time.

Before the next build... I will have my own (not have to borrow) dial bore gauge.....and set of good name brand mic's that measure out to .0001. I already own a 9" Starrett dial caliper... and a starrett dial indicator and mag base....a few more tools and I will have the basics covered to check some of these clearances properly.