I was installing my new main bearings to night and when I got to the uppers I found an Issue. The tang on the upper thrust bearing does not line up, not even close. Now What? Thanks Rick
Rick, Looks like to me that an upper shell got made into a lower shell. That tang location is of an upper shell. Part number is correct on the back 7262CH. Send me more pic's of the front, back and the box so we can see the part numbers, I will get with Federal Mogul. Just remove the bearing tag and move on.
100% agree. The tangs are primarily there to get the shells lined up in the bores. Crush holds the bearing, not the tang. I built a 7000+ rpm engine that I made bearing spacers for. No tangs on the smaller shells. Did it to prove a point.
MN GS455 Speaking of bearing spacers how about a set adapt a 440 crank sized mains. When the spacers are installed are how did you secure the spacers in the block? Thanks Rick
The spacers are held in by the interference crush. There is really no rotational load if the oiling system is doing its job. We used to use spacers like this in 400 Chevys all the time. If you wanted to get real tricky, you can attach them with pan headed cap screws and machine the bearing accordingly, like when you are doing a block insert to repair a spun out main web. It's very picky and time consuming though. You use like a 10-32 screw, two per shell.
Its refreshing to see a machinist that knows of such a repair, sadly a lot of matching # blocks for rare muscle cars went in the scrap bin because the machinist had no Idea that a repair like this existed. This is repaired using a piece of sleeve material, this block was for a rare 72 stage 1 4 speed car I built........
Rick, Just curious if you have a steel crank it that deal.. or if it's a stocker that is Nitrided.. Those Hard F/M bearings eat stock cranks. If you using those just for the extra oil groove, you would be better off to borrow Chris's tool and groove the mains for extra oil flow behind the bearing, add a couple holes to the upper shell. JW
Very nice repair. We do it on expensive diesel blocks too. funny, I just finished a stage 1 shortblock for a 1972 four speed car too. That are rare, that's for sure.
I cut the grooves with a cut off wheel and used 2 used bearing shells as a guide. I drilled the shells and then while they were locked down in the block I bored/marked the block. Yhen with the two used shells locked down I stacked to cut off wheels together and carefully/slowly cut my grooves. I used a depth mic to make sure of the depth. Because the wheels are too large in dia to to make the cut all the way to the ends, I ground the wheels down to about 1" in dia. That way I could cut all the way to ends. I finished by blending in the main hole and groove area. It turned out really well, wished I would have taken some pictures. I was on a mission to get this motor ready for the weekend. I'm still interested in bearing inserts to change the mains to a dodge 440 main size. The cost of a stroker crank should be cheaper. I realize that there is some major machine work involved but it would be interesting to do. Rick
