Rod bearing / front seal replacement

[sermis]

I think my parts truck has a bad rod bearing as it has a knock. My truck I just painted has a bad front main seal and is turning my paint from green to black.

Can the crank be pulled and new bearings be installed with out pulling the motor?
How hard is the front seal to replace?

 

[ken]

If it's a bad rod bearing you can unbolt it from the crank and change the inserts. If it's a bad main. Remove the cap then stick a nail in the oil lube hole and roate the crank by hand. the nail head will push up aninst the bearing insert and "peel" it out of the block. Install the new insert in reverse order. You may have to loosen all main caps a little to add some clearence so the insert goes in easier. Use plenty of oil. If you have one bad bearing. change all of them. the others won't be far behind. IMHO.

 

[WillWagner]

Don't loosen all the mains at one time, leave the #4 up. If all of them are loosened at once, you'll be doing a rear main seal too. Also, if a bearing has lost the overlay and not spun, run your fingernail across the journal. If you nail catches on anything, polishing is in order. If the bearing spun, there are people who can turn a crank in chassis, but they are now,few and far between. It is a dying art. Good luck, take pictures!

 

[m-35tom]

if you need bearings, it is probably cheaper in the long run to just replace the engine. used engines can be $500 or less and you will spend more than that on bearings.

 

[FreightTrain]

Yea,but who says a used engine is any better than the one in it now?You can buy a sleeve assembly(sleeve,piston,rings) for $90 each and mains for $65 for a set.Not sure how much rods are.haven't found them yet.Plus a gasket set for $250.I will guess at the rod set at 100 bucks so that is only $850 for a bottom end rebuild and around here,you can get head looked over,cleaned,and a skimming on the grinder for around $150 so,for a grand you have a Flat out brand new engine.

 

[WillWagner]

FT, I agree. A used engine, you have no clue what it's like. You could spend alot of time swapping, then find you have an engine in equal or worse condition than the one you took out. At least, if you drop the pan on you engine and have a look up the belly, you can see if you have a rebuild candidate or if the repair is a patchable one.

 

[GoHot229]

Well due to the current status of FT.... mabe someone else can answer about a source for crank bearings rod and main both?

 

[Warthog]

Last month Memphis Equipment quoted me a price of $350 for a set of mains and $26 ea for the rod bearings. These where standard sizes.

 

[GoHot229]

Wow, then they are available, I was finding nothing in searches on the web. still $500 is a bit spendy but obtainable.