brad-cam

I tore into my motor yesterday and discovered a spun #2 rod bearing. The rod is damaged, that's for sure. The crankshaft shows some burnishing, but there are no deep score marks. I'll mic it to check for roundness. Assuming I replace the rod, has anyone been successful putting it back together without machining the crank ? I really don't want to have to do that. Am I wasting
my time ?

Dave E

If you spun the bearing you likely send shavings throughout the engine, a teardown and thourough cleaning would be advisable.

Peckster

You'd have to have a machinist look at it, preferably someone who knows the car.

HughA44s

I am going through that with my 87 N/A. I am doing a grond up rebuild of the motor and the crank cleaned up with a .25 cut. Glad I did as when it gets back together, I will have a motor at factory sepcs. I also had the block cut and the block flushed.

brad-cam

Thanks guys. I don't relish the thought of pulling the motor for this, but you're right. The crank should really be professionally worked. I have a spare good crank. I'll consider swapping it in as another option. Looks like the crank can be changed with the engine in the car so long as the flywheel and oil pump are removed first. Good time for a clutch job too - looking on the bright side ...

Peckster

Right, this is not a challenge, it's an opportunity!!!!

turbo8

i have the same problem, but my engine is out now on the ground under the car, my crank has groves in it, the engine looks alot bigger on the ground than inside the engine.
im 20 and this is my first engine ive taken out of a car, i know im going to have tons of trouble putting it back in. i see it as an educational experiance, probably be better if i had some one that new what they were doing help me out besides clarks website

HughA44s

I am going through that with my 87 N/A. I am doing a grond up rebuild of the motor and the crank cleaned up with a .25 cut. Glad I did as when it gets back together, I will have a motor at factory sepcs. I also had the block cut and the block flushed.

mark944turbo

Swapping cranks with the motor in the car sounds like a huge pain to me. You are going to have trouble getting the girdle on with its sealant and the main bearings, etc while holding the crank up above your head. I would pull the motor if I were you.

brad-cam

I removed the good crank from my spare engine on an engine stand today and it is definitely easy to do outside the car. I was going to hold the crank up in the bearings with nylon straps down from the top through the cylinder bores while I take the girdle off and on. I could take the engine out, but I'm going to try to save myself that extra work. If it doesn't work, I'll take the engine out.

Anyone ever change the crankshaft without taking the engine out ?

Tom M'Guinn

Brad-cam, you'd have to remove the tranny, torque tube, flywheel, front suspension, cross-over, header, intake, cam belt, b/s belt, cam tower, head, oil pan, pistons and girdle, all for the pleasure of trying to get the crank in while lying on your back? I imagine it could be done, but I'd be stunned it that were easier than pulling the motor. The bare block only weights 70 pounds. You could just about reach in and pick it up yourself once everything is off like that. Just food for thought. Sorry about your problems

brad-cam

Hey Tom, never thought about it that way. I think I'll reconsider my approach.

Jeremy Himsel

I agree with Tom on this one as well. It will be much easier to just pull the motor. You can actually pull it quicker then it would take you to remove and reinstall the oil pan.

Porsche-O-Phile

If you have the engine out, it makes doing other things a helluva lot easier (like changing the clutch, cleaning the firewall, etc.) I'd seriously consider it even though it's a pain - there are other things that are more of a pain.

sm

I would say pull the motor as well, and both Ski and jwl could probably give you the steps for doing it quickly.

BTW, were you at the track when the #2 bearing went? What happened?

Good luck...