spun a bearing

[nxtdrnaybr]

hey guys,

well, I spun a bearing in #6 on my 76 FJ40. that being said, the damage doesn't seem to be too bad from what I've seen so far. I am wondering if anyone has tried to repair just the bottom end- polishing the crank, new bearing & rod etc before-- from the bottom without pulling the engine??

i've got an excellent mechanic that works on the cheap that is going to take a good look at it in the next day or two.

just wondering if anyone has any opinions on the subject. meaning- either testing the odds of just trying to fix #6 without pulling the engine and hope all goes well, versus a total rebuild and big bucks out of my pocket. since this guy works so cheap, I am wondering if it is worth just trying t fix #6 and rolling the dice???

 

[Poser]

What caused the bearing to loose lubrication?

Yes, you can polish the crank and roll new bearings into the engine from below without removing the engine, depending on the damage to the crankshaft. If the #6 main bearing actually did bond to the crankshaft and rotate in its bore, it is very likely that the #6 main bearing bore in the engine block is damaged and effectively made your engine block garbage, or at a minimum, a wash in cost of repair(if it can be repaired) to replacement.

 

[nxtdrnaybr]

I've only had the Cruiser for about a month and put about 50 miles on it, before that the PO drove it about 1500mi in the last 8 years, so my guess is just lack of use was the culprit. i took it out last weekend for the first good drive after giving it a tune up, this was my reward....

i am hoping my mechanic gives me some good news and my block is in good shape.

 

[Poser]

I guess it could be but I do not really buy into the lack of use idea...



1972 F engine 40 series sitting for 9 years was woke up at my shop two weeks ago. Runs fine on the junk fuel still in it, goes down the road at 50 just fine and has great oil pressure.


Last fall, I woke up a 1974 55 that has a 1978 2F in it that had been sitting for over 11 years without being ran. That engine runs fine, has great oil pressure and drives around just fine.


Before that, I woke up a 305GMC V6 engine that had been sitting for over 10 years in a 1966 truck. Runs great.


Woke up my grandfathers 1931 model A a couple years ago that had not ran in 24 years. Runs and drives.

 

[nxtdrnaybr]

another culprit I forgot to mention..... it was apparent that the top end had been rebuilt on the engine(head was spotless and clean and had been painted), but didn't look like the bottom end was touched. so i guess a culprit could be a bad rebuilt or someone not torquing down to what they were supposed to in #6.

guess i'll leave it up to my mechanic. suppose i am least into it for fixing what is broken, perhaps a total rebuild. he gave me a ballpark of about $600-800 in his labor for the rebuild, plus the cost of a rebuild kit, which doesn't seem so bad, unless someone has a nice 2F they are willing to sell on the cheap....

 

[pb4ugo]

I have had, and witnessed bad results by taking short cuts when it comes to mechanical failures of engines. I would pull the engine out and pull it apart. Even if you only repair the crank and install new bearings. The most important thing to do is have the block cleaned and checked. All that crap from the spun bearing has traveled all thru the engine, just inviting failure. .

 

[digger]

I seized my engine two weeks ago, oil pump failed, I ended up putting an entire rebuilt engine in mine. I was able to break it the old one free. When I get time I will tear my old one down a/ see if it can be salvaged.

 

[Buckwheat]

Forget about it

Get ready to do the bottom end, a crank kit & a rod at minimum. The possibility of other bearings in similar marginal condition is high. More importantly, like Poser asked, is what caused the lack of lubrication & you will have sharp pointed shards of bearing s*** all thru the engine like PB4ugo said. Since the top is virtually new, a rebuilt short block is probably your best option, if you want to get it back on the road right away & you'll have a zero hour engine.

 

[apeterson]

just pull engine now... or you will be later... and repaying for it to be done again....

 

[Poser]

Similar issue here... <---- this is a link

 

[nxtdrnaybr]

thanks for all the advice. pulling the engine early next week and at least doing a bottom end rebuild, perhaps more once we take the head off and have a look at what's going on in there.