replacing main bearings

[red devils dude]

as some of you know I am rebuilding my engine, tomorrow I am replacing my main bearings with the crankshaft in the engine(engine is in truck)
I have been told that if I loosen the caps on each side I can get them out with a little tool in the oil hole(to roll out the top one)
I need to know how do I make one(basc info) any help only have one day of good weather.

 

[Crazyguyla]

Jed

i have used a thin plastic putty knife on my car engine to change main bearings, and i have read that a popsicle stick/ tongue depressor could be used too.

 

[red devils dude]

ok thanks anybody else got a bright idea

 

[ken]

Take a nail (the largest that will fit in the oil hole) and stick it into the oil hole. You may have to grind the head of the nail down a bit so it only hits the bearing insert and not the block. Then loosen all of the main caps, just enough so the crank will drop down about .015 to .030 of a inch. So there won't be any restance for the nail head to roll the bearing top insert when you turn the crank. When you remove one , install the new one and don't tighten any main caps untill all have been replaced.

 

[red devils dude]

ok now that I can do.

 

[Desert Rat]

Ken's good at cheating...............................

 

[rdixiemiller]

Make sure you are rolling the bearings out the right way! Remember, they have the little retainer tabs that hold them in place in the block.
Good luck with the engine rebuild!

 

[Recovry4x4]

I've almost always used long feeler gauges. I have a set of super long ones and the thinner ones are a bit flexible. I used the stiffer ones until the bearing starts moving then switch to the thinner one.