Rod Bearings

[BigSur]

How difficult/easy are they to replace on a 3fe? I am starting to think my bearings are bad on my FJ62. For those just joining in i have had a rattling sound and it has progressively gotten worse over the last couple of weeks. I ordered some new header exhaust down tubes and plan to replace those first cause it might be a crack there. But now i am not so certain. I don't have any loss in power or acceleration which i think would be a good sign but i man be wrong.

jason

 

[cruiser88]

Get a steascope and listen down around the pan and lower block. If it is there you will hear it. Lol cant spell.



On the flip side they are easy to change but if you do have bad bearings look into that oilpump. But there maybe other reasons that bearings go bad. Does not need to be the oilpump always. AND THOSE INJECTERS ARE NOISEY

 

[BigSur]

Would i hear it while idling or under load? Once again i only hear this sound under load. I can be going 70 on the highway and as soon as i take my foot off the gas its one. Thoughts?

 

[ad20k]

Would i hear it while idling or under load? Once again i only hear this sound under load. I can be going 70 on the highway and as soon as i take my foot off the gas its one. Thoughts?

I hear a rattling sound only under load on my 62 w 3FE. I have alway's assumed it was pinging. I was able to reduce but not eliminate it by adjusting my AFM a couple of clicks richer. Maybe give this a try before diving into a partial rebuild?

 

[BigSur]

if my bearings were bad would and could i hear it even when not under load?

 

[REKCUT]

One thing to check is the oil pan and filter. Take off the filter and cut it in half and look for metal shavings. Same thing on the oil pan. As stated above, get a s.scope and put it on the bottom of the block and listen. You will be able to hear the grinding. Take it to a engine shop and have them listen if you cant figure it out.

 

[60wag]

If it is the rod bearings, you'll want to catch it before the crank is damaged. If the crank is damaged beyond a cleanup with fine sand paper, then your looking at pulling the engine to have the crank reground.

 

[CruisinFJ60]

If it is the rod bearings, you'll want to catch it before the crank is damaged. If the crank is damaged beyond a cleanup with fine sand paper, then your looking at pulling the engine to have the crank reground.

i beg to differ just gotta pull the tranny and everything out back and its a little harder to get to but still very doable. currently in the process of this actually.

and jason before you go and condem your truck im happy to take a look at it for ya if nothing else hopefully rule out the rod bearings. hit me up any time either mud or my cell. 817-706-0354

if it were the rod bearings you wouldnt have had this noise for this amount of time i mean its been more than 4 months now.

 

[Pighead]

I thought you would hear rod bearings when backing off of the throttle AFTER accelerating...or was that main bearings...? And I usually think of a rattling sound as pre-ignition.
How's the oil pressure?
If you're going to drop the pan to look for metal shavings, you might as well pull the rod cap and look at the bearing. And if you look at the bearings, you might as well replace them while it's apart. Rod bearings are pretty cheap and almost easy to replace.

 

[cruiser88]

I thought you would hear rod bearings when backing off of the throttle AFTER accelerating...or was that main bearings...? And I usually think of a rattling sound as pre-ignition.
How's the oil pressure?
If you're going to drop the pan to look for metal shavings, you might as well pull the rod cap and look at the bearing. And if you look at the bearings, you might as well replace them while it's apart. Rod bearings are pretty cheap and almost easy to replace.

Yep...i always do them one at a time if possible. Buy a gauge to measure them if you need to ....just to see how far they or off.

do not forget the re-assembly lube.

 

[BigSur]

I have had this problem for over a year and it seems to be worse now. I am beginning to lean to the torque converter.

 

[alex e]

Step 1: Pull engine
Step 2: give engine to Alex
Step 3: install Vortec

 

[wagon4wd]

I thought you would hear rod bearings when backing off of the throttle AFTER accelerating...or was that main bearings...? And I usually think of a rattling sound as pre-ignition.
How's the oil pressure?

X2. We're not dealing with a jeep here, so the oil pressure gauge is actually reliable. Do not get me started on jeep gauges. Granted, I'm assuming a 62 has an oil pressure gauge, since my rather spartan 60 has one.

If the bearings were getting fatigued, metal should be visible either in the oil filter or while draining oil. If the oil pressure is low, you'd hear lifter noise over the engine, but while going down the road probably not hear noises out of the crank/rods/mains/whatever.

 

[Dirty Toad]

[thread jack] Not trying to thread jack, but I have a nasty knock sound at cold Idle that goes away once the motor is warm. Sounds like it is coming from the low end of the motor. Think it may be a rod bearing? [/thread jack]

 

[Lance Lucas]

You could always take an oil sample an send it off to Blackstone for used oil analysis. Small cost and you will find out exactly where any internal damage is happening.

Blackstone Laboratories

 

[alex e]

Hey Jason let Randy look at it....he's in Irving.

 

[CruisinFJ60]

[thread jack] Not trying to thread jack, but I have a nasty knock sound at cold Idle that goes away once the motor is warm. Sounds like it is coming from the low end of the motor. Think it may be a rod bearing? [/thread jack]

piston slap... mine does the same thing. actually alot of 60's do some just worse than others. mine has been doin it for atleast the last 15k miles on mine and my motor still runs well and get wheeled hard.