What is with Rod Bearings dying?

[speedy25]

Originally Posted by Mikes95RT

Gene found that putting anything on the oil pick up tube and forcing the pump to suck the oil through it really harmed the ability for the pump to do it's job.



Our sump screen is close to the pan.The holes are small and I can't help but think from knowing how bad it is for the AC VW that it can't be good for our car that has oil delivery,oil pump problems.

Hmmmm. Maybe a clue here. How many of these cars that have had more than one bearing failure, are lowered? Perhaps the oil pans have gotten smashed and restricted the flow to the oil pickup.

This may also explain why the person who has the custom pan doesnt have any troubles.

Just a thought to try to get to the bottom of this.

-SP

[Import Power]

I have seen bearings spun many times on engines that spun in the past and just the bearings were replaced. Old rod and crank left in the car. Seen that more than once.

[jacob666]

Ok, I am by far no expert on this, but I do have an idea. In this dangerous "break-in stage" would it at all help to change the oil more frequently like say 1500 to 2k miles instead of 3k. There's been the statement it could be debris in the oil that wasn't cleaned on the rebuild... could changing the oil more frequently help this problem?

[chargerx3]

Originally Posted by jacob666

Ok, I am by far no expert on this, but I do have an idea. In this dangerous "break-in stage" would it at all help to change the oil more frequently like say 1500 to 2k miles instead of 3k. There's been the statement it could be debris in the oil that wasn't cleaned on the rebuild... could changing the oil more frequently help this problem?

YES! There are various techniques, but i do the initial startup for a few minutes then dump and swap filter. start and run for 10- 20 min or no more than 10 miles and dump/filter swap. then repeat one last time for 20 miles. Oil is cheep and is your only insurance. change it as much as you want...It can only help.

[silky]

I am kind of anal but whenever I do anything where dirt can get into the oil...ie heads off, rocker covers off, oil pan off etc. I make sure all crap is out of the oil. I run an organic oil for a few minutes and drain it/replace filter. I replace it with the same oil and filter and drive it for a week. then I drain that and replace it will my regular filter/synthetic combo. To me, oil is cheap. Might be overkill but I sleep well at night

[Patryn]

Its always a good idea to change the oil after running the engine shortly. This will hopefully remove anything left after the cleaning process. I ran my engine for a short time, changed the oil, then changed it at 1K, then again at 3K. One thing I have noticed is that I've never came across a stock engine that has spun the bearing under 100K. It has always been rebuilds. Only thing that makes it really expensive is when it turns badly on the crank, then you have to pay a god awful price for a new one. I can't think of any one local I would trust trying to rebuild/turn a crank that had spun the bearing.

[UTRacerX9]

Originally Posted by Patryn

One thing I have noticed is that I've never came across a stock engine that has spun the bearing under 100K. It has always been rebuilds.

Then you haven't searched the archives much. Read my post and click the link I posted on the last page. There are many of us in that post with spun bearings that happened on stock engines under 100k. Mine in particular was at 59k (right under the 60k warranty limit, thank god.)

My current car has a stock shortblock, with 91k on it now. Only time I've ever opened the engine was when I took the heads off after my adjustable cam gears slipped a bit and the valves hit the pistons just slightly on #3.

If I do spin a bearing, and I decide to keep the car, I will be going with a forged crank and I will have it crossdrilled. I also thought about using two rod bearing sets, and just using the "grooved" sides, but I think that dramatically cuts down on surface area needed.

[Patryn]

I'm only referring to the cars that I've worked on in person, or some of my own. Yeah, I'm aware of this bearing issue with others though on lower mileage blocks. It would just be nice if we can get some ideas together maybe even get a vendor involved in R&D to see if there is and economical way to solve bearing issues, and a spun bearing trashing the crank.

[keithmac]

Nobody`s mentioned knock yet, I think a factor of poor maintainance and turning up the boost without datalogging cause a lot of crank bearing failures.

When the OP had the car on the dyno was he logging knock?.

[chargerx3]

Originally Posted by UTRacerX9

If I do spin a bearing, and I decide to keep the car, I will be going with a forged crank and I will have it crossdrilled. I also thought about using two rod bearing sets, and just using the "grooved" sides, but I think that dramatically cuts down on surface area needed.

Keep looking into this and get back with us on any added info. I too have heard of it, but never seen any examples. the multiple bearing idea sounds off though. you would lose SA and maybe affect your lube pattern on the bearing surface. Its your motor though, so do what you like, but im sure its been done already.