Main bearing knock? The price you pay for getting a motor off ebay (good read)

[ryanx99GS]

(You can skip all the way to the bottom if you don't want to read the full story on why I think it has a main rod knock and why you should not by a motor off ebay)

Well everyone, I guess this is the price you pay for buying a motor off ebay. The seller had 279 feedback, all positive. The description:

"This is a 4g63T engine out of my 95 eclipse project car. This auction is for engine only. I have the transmission in the other auction. But if you need both engine and tranny, just bid on both item and I will combine shipping for you. The block has a little over 85,000 miles on it and doesnt smoke or burn oil. It is a 7 bolt block with stock 8.5/1 compression with a new rebuilt 6 bolt head.Compression was 170 on all for cylinders. I bought the car and put a new 1g head on it with a cometic headgasket. The 1g head flows much more than the 2g and has bigger cams. The engine has a cyclone manifold, mighty max oil filter housing. The water pipe is from a 1g nt and it wraped in dei heat wrap and dented in for the HX-40 turbo in my other auction. The engine runs great and has a little less than 500 miles on it from the time i rebuilt it. It ran great and pulled hard with the 16g turbo that was on it. It also has a new oem clutch and pressure plate. I never got to run it with the holset turbo because i was trying to do an awd conversion. The engine has new timing belt, water pump, ngk plugs and new wires. The conversion is complete so you will be able to drop this right in your 2g without any wiring changes. I have the exhaust side of the engine and transmission in another auction. let me know if you have any questions. I will ship via Old Dominion Freight. Thanks "

Now, I live in St. Louis, MO and drove an hour and half away to meet the guy to pick up the engine. It looked all fine and dandy from the outside so I went ahead and got it. First things first is, It did not have a NEW OEM CLUTCH AND PRESSURE PLATE like the guy said. It had hot spots on it out the ass. First lie to encounter. Now while putting this motor in it was like murphys law would not leave me alone. My transmission housing cracked and I had to get it welded. Had to rethread where the downpipe meets the o2 housing. Had to drive an hour away to pick up TB gaskets because dosen't stock shit. Let alone, this guy stripped about almost every bolt hole on this engine, it was rediculous. So finally I get it up and running and behold guess what I hear:

Video - TinyPic - Share the Experience!™

HAH, it made me punch the quarter panel so hard to leave a almost perfect impression of my fist. I was so mad. That sounds worse than what my conquest did without a damn rod bearing on one of the rods. Now I am out of my DD and 900$. Let alone, I just found out today that it was his friends account he sold the motor through.

Now onto my problem, sorry about my rant . I am pretty sure that is a main bearing knock? One thing he didn't lie about is my compression was 170 on all fours. My leakdown came back with 88/90. So 2%. Anyone have any ideas? Help would be greatly appreciated at this point. I bought this motor to swap out my old one that started knocking. Heh, I replaced it with one that knocks worse. I guess I learned my lesson

 

[outkastracing]

i would pull the pan and inspect the crank and bearings you might get lucky and be able to just replace the bearings maybe if not pull it back out

 

[ryanx99GS]

That is what I am hoping but the way this has been going, I know there will be something wrong with the crank because everything else has gone wrong during the whole process. If I do have to do something with the crank, I am probably just going to use some emery cloth and rub it down, install new bearings and some thick oil and trade it in for 2001 Honda Prelude Type SH that just went up for sale. Let a dealership deal with its bullshit.

 

[outkastracing]

I think you might be ok do you still have good oil pressure??? if you do then you might catch it in time! take it apart and inspect it if you have to do what you said then order some cheap bearings from like ebay or something

 

[turboglenn]

Get a set of main and rod bearings and go to town. If you've caught it before there could be any damage to the crank, you should be fine.

I've changed them in the car countless times, it's really no big deal. The only PITA part is that 2g rod bearings all are different sizes and you need to measure the main, read the code on the block and pick the correct bearing.

 

[ryanx99GS]

Okay guys we took it apart. Good thing we did. Found some shavings in the pan . So we took it apart and of course the main and rods were bronze BUT none of them spung so on that. Then I look back up there and I see the goddamn balance shaft bearing just hanging there.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

Also there is some damage to the crank. My friend who helped me pulled it and goes to Ranken tech here in St. Louis asked his teacher about sanding the crank with some fine paper and then running emery cloth around it and his teacher said he has done it multiple times and then everything was fine and dandy. So I think I am going to do that and then should I get mitsubishi bearings or ACL's? What would you recommend. Also, How am I suppose to put a new balance shaft bearing up in there? Is there a way I can eliminate them without pulling my motor again? Please, any input would be helpful right now as I am in a very desperate situation on my DD and short on funds.

 

[ryanx99GS]

Anyone . Sorry for bumping but I need my car!

 

[bastarddsm]

dunno what to tell you about the bearings, seeing as crankwalk is a bi*** i'd be tempted to try some aftermarket bearings. I'd get the ACL's or Clevite 77 if availible. Run from topline and other generic shit. as for the BS you'll need to do a BSE, it probably spun the bearing and beat the shit out of the block. i belive Vfaq.com has an article about doing it in the car.

 

[ryanx99GS]

Ya, Im going to go and order some ACL's. I found someone who is selling a 7bolt oil pump and front case with the elimination already done to it so all I would have to do is spin the bearings and eliminate the bearing from the rear one correct? Also, anyone have a good way or insight on sanding the crank?

 

[brute]

Warning: Personal views ahead.

If it was my car I'd just pull the motor and do everything right. No half-assing under the car with bearings and sandpaper in your hand. Just pull the whole thing and spend a few more bucks. You will spend about the same time messing around under the car than you would've if you just pulled the thing and worked on it in free space. There's nothing on a motor (or a DSM in general) that you should half-ass on. If you can't afford the right solution, then start saving paychecks.

 

[ryanx99GS]

Ya brute I completely understand. I tried doing it the right way the first time and well what do you know, this is what happend. I don't have the time or money to deal with this. Im just going to throw some bearings on, put some thick oil, and take it to an auction. I can't pay 250$ a month on a car I can't drive. I am going to have to get out of the DSM scene for a bit, a little frusrated at the moment and im just through with it. Time to go back to Hondas

 

[2gGSX]

Are you on Gateway DSM or STLSR? There's plenty of DSMers on both sites, including people that may be able to get you a usable crank for a fair price. I know there's a user in Columbia that has tons of stuff laying around (bryanwheat on the forums).

I would hesitate to sand the crank, although I suppose it's somewhat possible with the 7 bolt cranks since they're un-nitrided.