Crankshaft thrust bearing woes (1 Viewer)

[jim45r]

Hi, I'm putting my freshly polished crank into my F with new (std) bearings. I plasti-gauged everything before I put it together with assembly lube and had good clearances - well within specs - that is except for my thrust clearance at #3 main - it was .0015, and I think that it should have been 0.0024. Anyway, I put it together (optimistically) but find that the crank spins OK without #3 on, but when I put it on, she locks up (or at least really stiff). Looks like the thrust bearing is too wide. It is a japanese bearing (sold by Clevite). Any ideas? Can you lap thrust bearings? I guess I could pull it out and mike it & compare with the old, if the stock width is in the manual . . .

(Grumble, grumble, got my pistons all lined up, cam and lifters ready . . . @$#$ I'm also cranky cuz I discovered that the spacing between the center crank counterweight and the oil pump mount is less that the thickness of my middle finger - glad the kids weren't home . . .)

=====
James Stettler
'66 FJ45LB
Never worry about theory as long as the machinery does what it's supposed to do.
- Robert Heinlein

 

[Poser]

I guess I would mic it agianst the old one...

Good luck!

Why did you not want to use OEM bearings?

-Steve

 

[Pin_Head]

I doubt that it is a problem with the thrust surface on the bearing if you measured the clearance. More likely a piece of lint or dirt behind the bearing or the bearing isn't completely seated or a bent crank. Did your machine shop check the run out on the journals?

If the bearing is made in Japan, chances are very good that it is made by the same Toyota kiretsu manufacturer.

 

[jim45r]

Well the shop that did the valve job and polished the crank was giving me a really good deal, and he said he'd get me a good deal on bearings, too. It's a good shop, been in town since forever, but I didn't do my homework, I'm afraid. The bearings weren't much cheaper (esp if I count my TCLA discount at my local dealer) AND they didn't work. Plus, the day I picked the stuff up, I get a mailer saying SOR has a sale on mains and rod bearings! I should start a subscription service where I list everything I buy, and my subscribers will know it's going on sale next week . . . .

I cleaned the bearing bed really good, but I'll pull it out again tomorrow and check again. I dont' know if they checked the runout, but the original bearings weren't that bad, I just decided while I had it all out . . . . you know. So I doubt it's a bent crank.

Anyway, I'm calling my machinist tomorrow, and I'm sure he'll make it right. I'll post the outcome. A guy on the Birfield.com list said the bearing could be lapped on the front side (the back gets the clutch load). We'll see.
James