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Finally got to plastiguage my bearings, kinda backwards as should have done this to confirm bottom end was OK before major surgery on head and other stuff, but it's done..
Again, 175K miles..
Main bearings #1-4 were all about the same, just a tad wider than the PG1 .051 mm guage so guessing less than .050 but more than .045.. they are within spec of .062 mm max but on the loose side??.. they did not look bad for visual wear, a few scratches and looked like maybe some uneven colorish wear? but all in all I think may be OK? I've seen much worse.. there must be a trick I couldn't figure out to get the cap off of #5 main bearing?? I tried but couldn't get it out, got stuck between crank and block? I "assume" and can only hope it is in about the same visual and tolerance spec as other 4 that were almost all identical in tolerances? Any tricks to get #5 cap out without dropping crank?
Would any of you opt for new main bearings at this .050 mm wear stage? Or run it and go from there/change later if motor lasts long enough? I have a couple pics of the main bearings in my gallery..
Connecting rod bearings looked much cleaner, no scratches and much less clearance, 1-4 all guaged out at less than (larger width than) the .038 mm PG guage so these are about in the middle of tolerance specs so very happy here.. I think? opinions here?? these are by by far easier to change in situ than main bearings look to be? but at this spec they seem to say leave me alone, I'm fine?
The crank journals for all bearings to me looked very good, no major visible wear..
After was done this project and overall happy with outcome for tolerances and no broken or badly scored bearings, went on to my next project to remove balance chain before tackling the new split timing chain and head install... balance chain had at least 1" of slop on intake side where can get finger in and feel it.. wasn't leaving that in there
I took off #1 main bearing cap as it really opens up more room to work and get at balance chain. took no time with my dremel tool extension and grinding stone to grind down chain posts and get a link out... after all set up less than 5 minutes and link was removed.. rather easy and not much of a mess, I had paper towels tucked in area and covering as much as I could, and soaked with oil to catch some of metal grinding dust, that seemed to work nicely although some dust needs to be cleaned out with solvent, not worried about that.. so my plan was to hook onto intake side of chain with tie wire so could then attach string to keep tension on chain as pulled through so would not flop loose and get stuck as I have read happened to others and resulted in them pulling timing cover to get out or breaking guides first then having to pull cover... but my plan was foiled.. the wire sliped off and chain disappeared.. $%$#^!.. so no choice but to go for it.. turned crank clockwise very SLOWLY, one link at a time... and it was coming out too easy it seemed.. until the chain rounded the exhaust side sprocket and "fell" into the quide, I heard it and panicked.. it will get stuck for sure.. chain still was coming out one link at a time, had hope until it got bound up and felt like was going to rip out the chain guide.. major panick and ARGGGHHHH last night 11:00 PM wanted this done and my fears of either having to pull motor or shoving over to remove cover were becoming a reality.. not a happy camper, it went way too smooth and thus knew there would be a glitch.. OK break time, one more beer.. what the $%#$^ to do.. tried to turn crank back and forth over and over, was binding up both directions and getting worse.. arghhh! thoughts of how to break out bottom part of guide and pull chunks through small opening were happening, no room to get any tool into guide to cut or break it apart nor to get into guide to try and push chain back up to unbind.. I counted links I had removed already, 45 till it disappeard into chain guide... I looked at open timing chain picture from Savary's gallery (thanks Savary!) saw layout of guides and sprockets and counted teeth on chain, looked to be 59 or 60, so had 3/4 of it out and 15 ish links to go and that placed me to top right sprocked.. I knew I was close and due to wedged shape of guide could picture the chain all bunched up in the guide and bound up.. how the ?? to get it unbound?? then I thought of very stiff wire to use and shove up into guide to try and push chain back out.. tie wire and elec wire were too soft, not working.. took a look around and found an old electricial fish/snake wire, very stiff and flat, but pliable...cut off a 1 foot piece and managed to snake it up and into chain guide with some effort and twisting under the car on jacks.. got it up and through and way up into motor but was bypassing/sliding under stuck chain.. bummer kept at it poking around trying catch end of wire on link to push up.. work it work it work it.. all of a sudden saw one link drop down and get loose near crank sprocket! turn crank and yep, one more link came and then got bound up again.. worked at it more, another link gets freed up and "falls" down to sprocked, yet another link out as turn crank.. one at a time I was able to poke the chain around and link by link I &^%#! got it out!!!!!! very freakin happy camper!!!! may save this chain as souvineer! It was superstretched, see attached pic..
I had searched and searched on posts for best how to directions for DIY removing chain and didn't find any, now wondering if pulling it out from intake side with turning crank counterclockwise may have been beeter as chain would not drop into the wedge shaped guide and get stuck?? I still think if I could have gotten a strong nylon string attached to trailing end of chain and kept tension on it, and gone same clockwise direction I would not have had it drop into and get stuck in the guide?? perhaps others who have done this many times can chime in to help direct others for future DIY balance chain removal?
I guess in the end, it if the chain gets stuck and it seems to be in this lower guide don't panic and work at it, it worked for me!!
now to figure out best way to "Peen" master link for timing chain, can't find any bike chain tool locally... thought of nut spliter but have a pointy end and seems like would mushroom rivit and nor peen ot flat?? Perhaps the mideivel 2 hammer approach will have to do? suggestions from anyone who has "been there" withoufht proper peen tool?
Onward!!
, Mon, 15 Jun 2009 09:35:55, Wed, 17 Jun 2009 08:39:27, Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:30:06
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