?s for guys who have replaced rod bearings

[lil4x4dsm]

I have a few questions for those of you who have replaced thier rod and crank bearings. I believe i have a rod knocking and would like to freshen up the bottom-end before i buy a turbo and up the boost. I'm going to be installing a ACT 2600 and thier new Xact chrome-moly flywheel in the car and figured, why not kill two birds with one stone? I need to know can this be done with the motor still in the car and also part #s for Clevites( I do not trust our dipsh@t NAPA guys here). I have a 94 awd talon with a 6 bolt swap. Also, whats your opinion on replacing the crank bearings as well????

thanks
greg

 

[Talondsm18g]

It can be done in the car, but it is a major pita. If you have a rod knocking then your probably going to need teh crank cut which i dont recommend. I would grab a crank in good shape and use factory mitsu bearings. Most people dont run clevite or federal mogul's there has been some issues with them. Getting the crank replaced and using factory bearings its what i have always done with 100% success.

 

[hose101772]

Cleavites or Togas.If you have rod knocking you really should pull motor and go through it.It will make life much easier.

 

[lil4x4dsm]

Well here is whats going on. I am a stickler about warming up cars even in the summer I let it idle for 4-5 minutes or drive real easy until oil comes up to operating temprature. I try to never go into positive pressure until warm but if I dont allow oil pressure to get up to normal cruising pressure, and go WOT as soon as boost onsets I hear a rapid mettalic clicking noise. Even if I sit at a stop light for more than a few minutes and the oil pressure drops to idle pressure and as the light turns green I go wide open it clicks until I shift or cruise and let pressure come up and then get back on it. Does that make sense?? Its the only logical explanation I can come up with. One of my bearings must be on the loose side of tolerance and it knocks unless it has full oil pressure. I recognize the problem and try not to let it happen, I pray to god I dont have to relace that crank. I dont imagine it could have done all that much damage.

thanks
greg

 

[Talondsm18g]

is it a loud tapping or a clicking. Could jsut be dsm lifter tick.

 

[lil4x4dsm]

I am 99.999% sure it is not lifter tick. It a fast tap deep in the motor, you can feel the tap as well as hear it. Once oil pressure comes up from idle pressure it disappears. Any other help is greatly appreciated.

thanks
greg

 

[Defiant]

Pay a shop for an opinion. I'm not convinced it's a rod. Have you checked your harmonic balancer?

 

[lil4x4dsm]

I wish I had a shop to take it to, I really do. All we have around here is Bubbas and Billybobs in striped overalls and a wad of "chewin' tabacky" in thier lip trying to convice me to just put a 350 chevy and a powerglide tranny in it and call it good. You guys are my shop, I wish I lived in California where speed shops are a dime a dozen, and their is some knowledgable people but thats hard to come by here. ok ok back on topic..... Im convinced its oil pressure related, is there any other possible moving part that could tap/click while under hard acceleration besides rod bearings??? And the harmonic balancer is in good shape, rubber damper and all.

thanks
greg

 

[MNGSX]

You can usually diagnose rod knock via pulling the plugs and cranking it over via hand.

Bring #1 Up to TDC and back down again. ETC. What you are trying to do is listen for a click when the piston changes direction. With the engine off it's easy to hear.

You can also pull the oil pan and check.

This way you can push and pull on the rods and feel for slack as well as turn it over by hand and listen. Check for crank and rod endplay.

If it is rod knock you are probably not just looking at new rod bearings.

The rod may also need to be resized and the crank replaced or machined.

If you have the pan off you can also check the balance shafts and bearings. They have a weight on them so they place side loads on there bearings if those are worn they may slap around a bit too.


If the engine is well worn it could even be piston slap which disappears when warmed up. A cast piston in a badly worn bore will have cold slap like a cold forged piston in a new bore.

 

[lil4x4dsm]

Thank-you MNGSX, I appreciate all the ideas, I will check the rods by pulling the oilpan and checking them that way. I will also check balance shafts, I never thought about those. Also I did a compression test and I was as follows #1-#4; 157-160-155-161, so I believe for a six bolt thats about right. The car has 80,5?? miles on it and the six bolt came out of a 92 with about 42,??? miles on it so it is probably close to 50,000 now. I recognize the problem and try not to let it happen probably less than 10 times or so and always short burst, I immediatly let off as soon as heard. I hope no more than scuffing or minor scoring occured, if thats even where its coming from. I will pull those balance shafts while there, maybe the extra oil pressure will help also.

thanks greg

 

[j_woody]

dude, you live in richland, drive to spokane or over here to seattle and have someone look at it. seattle is only a 3 hour drive from your house.

 

[Defiant]

Completely off-topic, but I just noticed Richland. I was there for a couple of months in '78 doing inspection work on a reactor for WUPPS out at Hanford. No, it's not my fault they went tits-up.
I was there when that spidery bridge across the Columbia opened.

 

[gen1runner]

DUDE YOU WOULD KNOW IT IF YOUR ROD WAS KNOCKING I SPUN A ROD ON MY ECLIPSE AND I THOUGHT THE THING WAS GOING TO EXOPLODE IT SOUNDED TERRIBLE. MY ADVICE IS PULL THE MOTOR CHECK EVERYHTING AND IF ITS SHOT REPLACE IT . YOU'LL LEARN ALOT BY REBUILDING A MOTOR YOURSELF, BUY A HAYNES MANUAL, SOME DICKIES, FIND A GARAGE TO SHACK UP IN AND GET BUSY

 

[2-0turbo]

Originally posted by Defiant
Completely off-topic, but I just noticed Richland. I was there for a couple of months in '78 doing inspection work on a reactor for WUPPS out at Hanford. No, it's not my fault they went tits-up.
I was there when that spidery bridge across the Columbia opened.

^
Really showing your age. What kind of inspections? I am in the nuke business myself, but on commercial stuff. I don't want to hijack the thread--PM me.

 

[lil4x4dsm]

Geez, I leave town for a few days and got some good responses, thank-you.
j woody: I know but I have yet to here of a "dsm- specific" or hear of anyone talk about any decent shops around here. I have "heard" their is a guy in Portland but have never seen or heard any more than that. Any guidence or names of shops you have had good luck with personally wold be appreciated.
defiant: i was born in 78.... my dad actually did some inspecion work thier, not sure when. Last year I bought a house on the "bypass" highway, also known as 240 west, the road that leads to the AREA. Basically if that thing goes i should be dead or melting before i hear it!!!!! FFTF(Fast-Flux-Test-Facility) is still operational,somewhat. I think your talking about the cable bridge connecting Kennewick and Pasco, its still there supported entirely by those cables. Engineering marval!!!
gen1runner: Thats what im thinking if it was real bad i would definatly know, so im hoping i caught it early or maybe a balance shaft making some noise. I am going to pull the motor now, you guys have scared the sh!t out of me So while its out I will remove the balance shafts, block off egr, and plastiguage to check clearance and replace rod and crank bearings accordingly.
2.0 turbo: What the hell man this is my thread dosent that sound all to familiar!!!!!!

thanks agian guys
greg

 

[j_woody]

come over to the seattle area and go down to renton. The guy who works at that mitsu dealership is supposed to be awesome. I have heard his name mentioned many times for best dsm tech in washington