New build

[earlbrown]

My car got stolen and blown up in '06. I didn't get an engine in it until last year and still haven't gotten it fulley put back together. Sometimes it just takes time to do it right.

 

[baby6]

First failure was a spun bearing. Rebuild, drove great for awhile, broke the crank. Rebuilt with new crank, destroyed thrust bearing. Rebuilt again align honed and balanced, still eating thrust. Clearances perfect and transmission has been addressed multiple times. Think there may be something wrong with the block.

 

[TexasT]

Sounds like you need a different machinist.

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[artrenee10]

above...
who's been doing the rebuilds?

 

[earlbrown]

Setting the thrust, oddly enough, isn't something a lot of 'builders' know how to to. Not to mention a VERY simple bearing mod to the thrust bearing that makes things work lot better.

 

[baby6]

I agree with a new machinist. My dad and I did the first, and I have done the last two, they were literally within two months of each other. I went the whole 9 yards checking clearances and properly prepping. Strange thing is, I have not had a lick of problem with the thrust until after I broke the crank. Block distortion is possible, but I would assume the machinist would have picked up on that? Hmm... not trying to hijack sorry OP.

 

[Jay J]

Setting the thrust, oddly enough, isn't something a lot of 'builders' know how to to. Not to mention a VERY simple bearing mod to the thrust bearing that makes things work lot better.

Well. do tell! What mod would that be?

 

[earlbrown]

It's hard to explain in text but it involves breaking an edge on the bearing with a needle file so the thrust surface gets pressurized oil.

I plan on taking pics and doing a writeup on the next Buick bottom end I build.

 

[ek02]

It's hard to explain in text but it involves breaking an edge on the bearing with a needle file so the thrust surface gets pressurized oil.

I plan on taking pics and doing a writeup on the next Buick bottom end I build.

I don't remember where I saw it, or if it was even a Buick, but the builder drilled a small hole from the rear thrust surface of the bearing all the way to the main bearing oil feed passage to get pressurised oil to the thrust surface. A little more extreme than what Earl is suggesting.

 

[earlbrown]

That's ballsy. And would make bearing replacement a pain in the future a PIA. I don't think that would work on our engines as the thrust bearing isn't at the rear of the block.

 

[ek02]

You are right. Trying to line that little hole up would be a challange, unless you made the hole in the bearing larger than the hole in the block. I think the builder was using a standard shift trans with a beefy clutch. It would be a waste of time on an engine with an automatic, with no converter issues.

 

[earlbrown]

Clutches only push on the crank when the pedal is down.. Autos put on the crank if the TC is spinning.