Out of Whack Crankshaft

[cookmeup272]

Ok so who knows how long ago, at least 5 months or so, my 1g 7bolt chewed up some rod bearings. The nut that holds the oil pickup tube to the stud on the bottom of the block backed out and bounced around my crank a little. I didnt notice this at first and just replaced the rod bearings. I drove it for a couple hours and it started knocking again...so now i need to do it the right way. Obviously my crank is out of spec. Once i get the motor pulled and get the crank out, im going to bring it to the machine shop. I just want them to grind it down and balance it right? I'm not fully aware of the different things machine shops can do and i need my crank fixed as I dont want to spend 200+ on a used one. And then once the grind it down i need to get oversized bearings right? I will just tell them to grind everything down .010" from stock and then i can get some ACL race main and rod bearings? Just trying to get a full head around this before the time comes....

 

[BogusSVO]

let the shop mic the crank and tell you what size bearings you will need.. also sice you spun rod bearings.. take your rods in and have the big ends checked for round... they can distort and cause bearing failure

haveing the crank balanced is a good idea, but not needed for the repaire your doing

 

[cookmeup272]

Yea i remember calling them and asking for a micropolish but i wasnt exactly sure if thats what it was called(as far as grinding the crank down). So i should call them and ask for my crank to be micropiloshed and for them to check the big ends of the pistons?

 

[BogusSVO]

when a crank is ground undersized it is done on a large piece of equipmnt called a crank grander, it has a large grinding stone, that gets it close, then it will be miro-polished, that is a super fine grit sand paper...

for more detiled info read about this procudure in DSM Wiseman BigWoo's post...
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/articles-engine-fuel/303225-engine-machine-work-explained.html

it is not the piston you need checked but the connecting rod big end....

so tell the machine shop that you want your crank checked and ground if needed and if it dose ot need ground that you want it polished, and that you want the big end of the connecting rods checked and resized as needed.

 

[cookmeup272]

i dont know why i typed piston, i meant the rods haha. Thanks for the link btw, i was looking for something like that. Im going to call them first thing monday to try and get a price. Once i get this stupid civic running for my DD i will be tearing apart the eclipse once again.

EDIT: Well i guess they are open on weekends . I just called and they said it would cost about 70-75 bucks to check and grind down the crank and about 15-16 bucks each to recondition the rods if needed. So overall i could be looking to spend about $150

 

[BogusSVO]

the prices sound about right.. it would cost about that around here too....

well get to work... its a nice day here for pullin an engine....

when you order bearings, get some rings too....

and you may as well ask the shop what it would cost to have your block cleaned and honed I would guess about $80-$110

 

[cookmeup272]

Im not trying to spend all the money on it. Just trying to get it running and sell it ya know?

 

[BogusSVO]

I can understand that,

best of luck with it!

 

[donniekak]

If you don't take apart the entire engine and clean every piece, there will be bearing materal in the oil passages. This materal will find it's way into the new bearings and ruin them. I can understand fixing a car to sell it, but please do it properly.

 

[cookmeup272]

Ive never tore apart a complete engine and cleaned every part to get a few stray pieces of bearing material. Changing the oil every 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1000 miles will filter out enough as well as using my metallic oil plug and removing the oil pan at 200, 500, and 100 miles

 

[donniekak]

Ive never tore apart a complete engine and cleaned every part to get a few stray pieces of bearing material. Changing the oil every 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1000 miles will filter out enough as well as using my metallic oil plug and removing the oil pan at 200, 500, and 100 miles

If you say so. That is not accepted standard practice of any reputable engine rebuilder.

 

[cookmeup272]

Reputable engine rebuilder? Im an 18 year old college student that works two part time jobs to afford the things i need in life. This car has already almost a cummulative down time of close to a year. I am not gonna tear apart the complete motor and get it sent off to be cleaned. I think my method should suffice

 

[donniekak]

Reputable engine rebuilder? Im an 18 year old college student that works two part time jobs to afford the things i need in life. This car has already almost a cummulative down time of close to a year. I am not gonna tear apart the complete motor and get it sent off to be cleaned. I think my method should suffice

If by suffice you mean run long enough to pawn off on someone else, sure. I'm not trying to be D###, but there is a right, and wrong way to do things.

 

[cookmeup272]

if i wanted to pawn it off, i would throw that lucas oil additive in it and sell it with a knocking motor

 

[Benshooter]

All you need to do is borrow or rent a hoist to pull the engine and use a pressure washer on it. Oil filters don't trap as many contaminants as you think they would.

 

[BogusSVO]

Ive never tore apart a complete engine and cleaned every part to get a few stray pieces of bearing material. Changing the oil every 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1000 miles will filter out enough as well as using my metallic oil plug and removing the oil pan at 200, 500, and 100 miles

sounds like more work and money than just finish pulling the block and pulling a few oil gally plugs....

you may not even need a cherry picker.. if you have the head off.. you and a bud may be able just be able to chain the block to a pole and just lift it out

there is no need to have to change your oil that soon on a rebuild.... first oil change should be between 500-1000 miles

that is everything is cleaned properly...

 

[cookmeup272]

Whenever you put new rod bearings in, especially tri metal race bearings, bearing material will be worn down and be deposited into the pan, it helps them to be "broken in". I would rather be safe than sorry and just change the oil as compared to tearing apart the complete block and head.

 

[tenn-gsx]

Id agree, there is a right way and a wrong way. Do it right and spend a little more getting things cleaned up properly. Otherwise your probably going to have a buyer all pissed off shortly after you sell the car.

 

[BogusSVO]

if you loose bearing material for any reason .. something is wrong.. bearings do not "break in" and shead metal.. the crank is supported by a thin coating of oil between the bearing and crank.. the reason for bearing wear is from the loading of con rod (power stroke) for a mirco-seconed pushing the oil from the clearance.

the soft babbit face in bearings is so small particles of debis gets embedded into it so it will not score the crank..

 

[cookmeup272]

I do understand how crankshaft-connecting rods work as far as how they are lubricated. But i dont see how this can justify completely tearing apart an engine to POSSIBLY find a little piece of metal. This is not a 500hp track car, its a low revving street daily driver. I appreciate the concern as well as the information.

 

[tenn-gsx]

Debris is debris. Regardless of the hp application the damage will be the same if shards of metal come loose from wherever they might be lodged at.

 

[cookmeup272]

Debris is debris. Regardless of the hp application the damage will be the same if shards of metal come loose from wherever they might be lodged at.

Yes and like i said its a DD and i cant afford to have another 2 months of downtime to completely disassemble the head and block, get it sent out, then completely reassemble it.

 

[BogusSVO]

you do not have to send it out... with the head off.. pull the cams, followers and HLAs.. then unscrew the oil gally plugs and uses a 22 gun brush with some cleaning solvent of your choice, spray the head with some super clean.. and hose off... do the same with the block and crank...

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/cylinder-head-short-block/362154-how-final-wash-engine-block.html

 

[tenn-gsx]

Ok its a dd but you said your just trying to get it back together to sell it. Your trying to take a shortcut bro. You might get away with it but its more likely thar either you or whoever you sell it to will have to rebuild again because you dont want to do the repairs the correct way. This has happened to me. I purchased a running car that had a knocking rod repaired before I purchased it. I didnt think to ask if he had the block cleaned till after the rod knocked on me. When I asked his answer was pretty much what your saying now.

 

[cookmeup272]

I see, thanks for the link. What I might end up doing is putting a stock motor in there for now and building the one that came out of it. If that is the case i will definitely follow that procedure as i will be taking apart everything anyways.