Did I screw something up? Engine builders please help, need answers...

[packinkimber45]

So I was prepping my front case and water pump install by chasing all the threads and spraying the bolt holes in the block with break cleaner. My pistons, rods, crank, and bearings are already installed. I noticed when I was spraying a couple of the holes with brake cleaner that some got onto the front of my crank and some in the crevace of the front main bearing. Me being ocd I decided I would fill the crevace that got brake cleaner on them back up with assembly lube with my finger to make sure it didnt get contaminated with brake cleaner. After wipping off the excess lube with a shop towel I noticed that the assembly lube was all over the side profile of the bearing and in the crevice between the bearing face and block....

Now I'm worried doing so I might spin that main bearing. If the bottom (block) bearing I got assembly lube on. Did I just screw myself by doing that? Do I need to take the crank back out and make sure I dont have any assembly lube on the back bearing face in the block on that one bearing? I dont want that bearing to spin in the block because of what I did. The Mains are all torqued down already. Would the assembly lube make it into the back face of the bearing? Please help I dont know what to do.

Here is what I am talking about.
The blue arrow is where the brake cleaner got into. So I decided to wipe some along that edge and crevace on the block bearing. The red arrow is the edge portion of the bearing that got some assembly lube on when I did this. I wiped it off with a shop towel. With the bearing torqued down already, that assembly lube that was added and got on to that whole side profile of bearing, will that assembly lube seep in between the mating surface of the block and back face of the bearing and cause the bearing to spin when I start the motor or run it....

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You can actually see the areas I accidently got assembly lube below the bearing on the block where it is a little wet in the picture.

I dont know if I am making sense, please tell me if I am not or if I am being too over cautious so I can proceed. Thanks.

 

[ineedagsx]

im not exactly sure what your saying, if you got a little on the side dont worry about it but if lube is behind the bearing, its already apart might as well be safe then sorry. good luck and pm me if you have anymore questions along the way

 

[packinkimber45]

im not exactly sure what your saying, if you got a little on the side dont worry about it but if lube is behind the bearing, its already apart might as well be safe then sorry. good luck and pm me if you have anymore questions along the way

I figured I wouldnt make much sense. The mains have been torqued down this whole time. So the bearings have never been taken off. It should be dry behind the bearing. I havent taken them out or anything for any reason. A better way to explain it is, when I added some lube to the side profile of the bearing where the crevace is between the bearing face and crank journal, I actually put too much on and got lube on the whole side profile of the bearing and some on the block. So the whole side profile on the bearing got lube on it. Here's another pic. Picture the blue area as the lube that got applied to the whole side of the bearing and partially the block....

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Do you see how I covered the whole side of the bearing with lube and part of the block? So the crevace between the back of the bearing face and the block got lube on it. I'm worried that lube I got on there will seep in between the bearing face and the block even after I wiped it off. Also since break cleaner got into the crevace between the bearing and crank journal, is that bad? I did add some with my finger just in case. I dont want to spin that bearing or the lube to not it's job since I got some brake cleaner on there. Thanks.

 

[goldbomb79]

I work at Caterpillar and the front and back of the main bearings are lubed during install. The tab slots are there to prevent spinning the main and rod bearings. The thing I'm wondering about is the gap between the bearing halves in that pic.

 

[packinkimber45]

I work at Caterpillar and the front and back of the main bearings are lubed during install. The tab slots are there to prevent spinning the main and rod bearings. The thing I'm wondering about is the gap between the bearing halves in that pic.

So are you saying I'm ok?
I never added lube that far up I dont think. That was like that already. The shortblock was assembled by my machinist. I think what you are seeing is the bearing edges where it meets the other part of the bearing is tapered so there is no sharp edge and some assembly lube got into it from spinning the crank. Thanks.

 

[goldbomb79]

The two halves of the bearing usually mate up when torquing the cap down. They probably are, but it looks deceiving in your pic. Also, as far as the lube on the side. Think about this. All of the bearings on the inside of the motor will have oil on the side of them all the time.

 

[ineedagsx]

you applied it after everything was in place though right? if everything was where it was supposed to be and a little got on the sides i wouldnt worry about it. If you're really worried about it then take it back apart clean it and do it over, i mean whats an extra hour? I still dont think it would be a problem though, just think of where the oil will be when the motor is running...

 

[Rummy636]

you should be good. spinning a bearing is hard. as long as its torqued and seated properly, a little lube slipping into the side aint gonna mess anything up. id ship it.

 

[packinkimber45]

The two halves of the bearing usually mate up when torquing the cap down. They probably are, but it looks deceiving in your pic. Also, as far as the lube on the side. Think about this. All of the bearings on the inside of the motor will have oil on the side of the them all the time.

I guess I'm just being cautious. I just dont want them to spin during first start up, break in, or for its life that is. Like I stated earlier I what he is seeing is the corner of the bearing is tapered so there is no sharp edge. They are mated in fact.

 

[DSMnoobsause]

you are being ocd. just think when its running how much oil will be EVERYWHERE. it will not be dry in that area.
but i as well am worried about the bearing not contacting the other bearing halve in that pic.
who put the motor together? plus you should have chased and cleaned the block before assembly just for the fact you might remove assembly lube and or actually spray the contaminants into a bearing and cause more harm then good.

 

[packinkimber45]

you applied it after everything was in place though right? if everything was where it was supposed to be and a little got on the sides i wouldnt worry about it. If you're really worried about it then take it back apart clean it and do it over, i mean whats an extra hour? I still dont think it would be a problem though, just think of where the oil will be when the motor is running...

Yes I applied the lube with everything already in place and torqued down. Ok, I just wanted to make sure. Everything was already installed by my machine shop. I just didnt want to have to redo it.

you should be good. spinning a bearing is hard. as long as its torqued and seated properly, a little lube slipping into the side aint gonna mess anything up. id ship it.

Ok sounds good. Thanks for the replies guys. Just being cautious, this is the first time I am doing this kind of work.

you are being ocd. just think when its running how much oil will be EVERYWHERE. it will not be dry in that area.
but i as well am worried about the bearing not contacting the other bearing halve in that pic.
who put the motor together? plus you should have chased and cleaned the block before assembly just for the fact you might remove assembly lube and or actually spray the contaminants into a bearing and cause more harm then good.

Ok, I'm at ease now. The area everyone is concerned about the bearing halves not contacting is of no concerned. The pic is deceiving. They are contacting each other. The machine shop that did all the machining installed everything on the shortblock for me. I know I should have done all that but like I said the machine shop installed everything for me. I just wanted to make sure the threads in the block where the front case is good to go. I'm done doing any chasing so I'll just install the front case on. Now I am really worried since I got brake cleaner on the bearing where the lube is.... should that be a concern of mine now??? Thanks.

 

[BIGBLAZE79]

Man You got nothin to worry about. If it spun with lube back there, everyone would spin the bearings due to engine oil all over that area when it's running. Continue building.

 

[packinkimber45]

I am going to proceed with my front case and water pump.

Now I'm worried that I got break cleaner in between the bearing earlier

 

[jimbob_843]

You should be fine. If you get cold thick assembley lube behind the bearing now imagine all of the thinner hot oil going everywhere while its running. Like stated before, if that was the case then all engines would be spinning bearings. And you should be fine with the water pump and all just make sure its a clean surface before you install. And its ok to be paranoid, im also a perfectionist.