[jonalfaspider]

i read a few posts when i was changing the crank shells a came across one that said you should also change the main bearing shells. one post said you can change these without removing the crank, i cant see how? i am going to do mine so if anyone know how, it would make life a little easier

cheers jon :thumbs:

 

[Mitch916]

I wouldn't bother changing the mains unless they are faulty.

 

[biffa]

You shuold only change the mains if you fitting a replacment crank, are faulty or you have had the crank reground...
Bigends same again, but would also include CAM belt failure to the list...

 

[jonalfaspider]

i thought i would change the main bearing shells as they didnt look great (but as you know i have never done a rebuild before) what do you thing from the pics, should i just leave them?

View attachment 122876

i got the cambelt to do next week, lucky for me theres some good guides on this forum although a little scared! lol!

 

[Mitch916]

I am a little confused Jon. If the crank is in place, I wouldn't bother unless one of the above from Biffa. However, if the crank is out, as your pic shows, I would fit new shells as it's a peice of cake. But that doesn't tie in with your original question hat implied the crank was in place

And no, those shells don't look great, is the crank scoured?? I think we need info mate, give us a complete update on where you are with the project.

 

[jonalfaspider]

hi mitch, its not much of a update :lol: i removed the knackard engine and i have decided to put the new engine in as a unit of head and bottom end. i removed the gear box from the new engine i bought so i have it as one block to go straight in from the top, joining at the gearbox and driveshaft thats already in the car, (bought a engine crane)

as i didnt know much about the engine and it cost very little i wanted to check it out as i didnt want to put it in and then find out its knackard. so i dropped the sump and found small grinded pieces of shell in the bottom and what turn out to be a snapped half a oil injector (i think thats what its called, the thing that pumps oil up into the piston bore)

i dont really want to seperate the head from the bottom end cos of what happen last time (threads were knackard) and if the gasket is gone it would be easy to do while the engine still in the car?

anyway i replaced the oil injecter with the crank still in (nightmare needed alot of patience) but im a little concerned damage might have been done cos its a little hard to more the piston up and down that the other three.

i replace the shells on the cod rods. the original ones were down to the copper colour but the crank is ok. the crank has a few scratches but no scoring that you can put your nail into.

i havent removed the crank and dont really want to, the pic is of the lower main bearings and i thought they look bad, also they dont fit into the bearing holder thing very tight, so i was thinking i might as well replace theses as they didnt look great and when i read a post saying you can replace these with out removing the crank i though that would save alot of hassel. and thats the stage im at.

the reason its taking me a while is the time and i ran out of funds lol! but i just got a £200 bonus at work so going to get a new cambelt kit and clutch.

the pic is of the lower main bearing shells, the cranks still in place

i will try and make more sence, only just learning all the terminology lol!

so thats were im at bud, any more advice would be much appreciated

 

[Turtle4288]

Do you mean those are the big end shells? Mitch is saying that removing the main bearing shells is the same as removing the crank. I.e the main bearings hold the crank into the engine.

 

[zulu ferret]

Mains to change?

Remove cap, rotate crank until the oil feed lub hole is visible then insert a snug fit diameter wise nail with a largish head that has been rounded off with a file or ground down, then when you further rotate the crank the head of your smooth mushroomed nail head will gently force the upper main shell from it's housing. Reverse procedure for installing the new shell. :

 

[zulu ferret]

PS You do one at a time, obviously!!

 

[Mitch916]

Zulu is spot on. Just make sure that if the shells are tabbed, (a small locator one side of the shell) that you move the shell tab end out first.

TBH though, if this engine is still out of the car, I would be taking the crank out, replacing bearings and oil seals and measuring the oil pump etc etc. Mine was done in the car but it always crossed my mind that the oil pump had done 160k miles of work. I just didn't fancy all that work laying on my back on a gravel drive!!

I totally understand the financial constrants Jon, most of us are in the same boat mate, with it now being August, I think your best bet is to do a thorough rebuild, aiming to get back on the road for the spring. Just my opinion bud.

 

[jonalfaspider]

excited and nervous! booked sept 1st weekend off to get it finished, i bit the bullet and ordered everything today, cam belt, aux belt, balance belt, idles and pulleys, head gasket and all other gaskets, water pump, valeo clutch, nearly £400 later.....ouch..... just need the cambelt tools now

i had a look at my main shells that came from alfa and they look just like the conrod ones with holes in them, is this right cos they look different from the ones in the pic? been sat in box for a few weeks now i should have check these earlier :tut: doh!

 

[zulu ferret]

The same but obviously larger diameter.?

 

[biffa]

Mains there should be a set on 5, the center (3rd) should have holes the rest should have slots.
see link http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa...ded-to-become-ill-at-70-m4-3.html#post3028564

 

[jonalfaspider]

for fook sake, they are all like your middle one in the pic he had all my codes and numbers and still gets it wrong, take a trip over tomorrow and see him :rant: good job i havent took them out of the packet yet

 

[jonalfaspider]

went and took them back, he assured me they were the correct ones :cheese: after me assuring him they werent and giving him my original shells i had to leave it with him. a few days later i recieved my new set. well at least they look the same now. is there a way i can double check they are the right bearings cos i dont really think he knew what he was doing ( he was the manager at alfa specialist aswell)

the codes on the originals

60597518 and CL 85 6D

the codes on the new ones

60596516 and CL 154s 0308a