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Tehnation's Ballin on a budget rebuild!


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I know its a thing with normal motors because the bearings and gravity work in your favor, the crank sits inside the journal like a cup so they can be different top and bottom because the seams are on the side. They also have caps vs two case calves. It applies for a normal motor, but how would you apply the same concept by resting the crank directly on the seam on the bottom. Uneven seams on the sides, sure, on the bottom, hell no. Edited by Tehnation
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Only way I can see it working properly is if the crank rotates into a smaller bearing but even still it will rotate into an edge on the other side. I can visualize it working but it doesn't seem ideal basically only parts of the bearing surface would have any contact.
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Yeah, I'm still not sure I'd do this on a street engine. But the difference is only .001

 

Remember the steel crank will knock that lip off the soft bearing quickly.

 

Start with the standard bearings and if you find a clearance adjustment is required, move up or down, as necessary. And because 0.001-inch in difference can be more than desired, you can mix bearing sets to achieve the 0.0005-inch desired adjustment. Simply mix one of the shell halves of a standard bearing with a shell half from an over- or undersized bearing. Yes, it requires the purchase of two sets of bearing sets, but that's the price to pay for clearance optimization.

 

One more thing: When mixing the bearings, make sure all shell halves are aligned. That means install all the standard halves on the block side and all the undersized halves on the cap side or vice versa. It doesn't matter which side they go on, only that the same sizes are on the same sides of the components.

305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD).  CHECK your oil, these cars use it.

 

Engine Build - Click Here

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ok, so I got a refund of 145 dollars. I paid 240, 260 with tax originally, plus another 20 for a new ac plug panel and some terminals, so 280, got back 145, so I only spent 135 bucks for this thing so I'm happy, and I got it working again, after pulling it apart and fixing the issues. It was either do a full refund and get a new one, or fix this one and get an awesome discount.

 

Here are some pics of it after I tried the 1st time, which was done incorrectly. Looks like the heat was the biggest factor, and the big ass piece of metal sitting in the tray burnt out the system by acting like a massive heatsink via direct contact, so yea, everything was totally my fault lol. But the kicker is the thing has a fuse which never went off so its their fault as well. I used a better quality piece

 

https://www.amazon.com/button-Adapter-Connector-Socket-MXRS/dp/B082ZFRV1B

 

https://www.amazon.com/Glarks-Connector-Terminal-Insulating-Assortment/dp/B07FCFH84Q

 

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20201012_235754.thumb.jpg.ed6e1cbb85e903027d8b31da785fcb2c.jpg

Edited by Tehnation
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Got it setup pretty easily so just went with it. Using the ultrasonic while it heats up, looks like it may be more effective, but who knows, we will see. Just used a ratchet strap and some jute twine I had laying around, its soft, cheap and shouldn't affect the metal. I'm going to try and hit it on all four sides rotated along the width axis, if that makes sense...

 

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20201019_164920.thumb.jpg.3978ff3288a904e5c60ccdbf15db1ebc.jpg

Edited by Tehnation
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  • 4 weeks later...

So I was getting back to my engine build, and after reading up on the arp bolt stretch numbers, a little piece of info I read sorta stuck in the back of my mind.

 

http://www.manleyperformance.com/dl/tech/rod-hbeam.pdf

 

This is the install for manley H rods with arp2000 bolts, mainly this:

 

" The following clearances MUST be maintained to insure proper connecting rod performance. The big end housing bore is sized to provide proper “crush”; connecting rod bearing to crankshaft clearance should be set at .002” minimum to .003” maximum during assembly"

 

So if anyone runs the manley rods, basically they have to be .002-.003, compared to stock .0007-.00018, or something like that. I'm going to contact manley tomorrow to see if that .002 is possible with a new crank with std size bearings. The .001 undersize might be necessary.

 

Might be another reason for my premature failure. I will lookup and compare the bore size of oem rod and manley rods to see if there is any difference, if they are the same bore size, then std size bearings are probably an issue.

Edited by Tehnation
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Anyone know what oem rod bore size is? manley is 2.165", or 54.991mm

 

[ATTACH]288079[/ATTACH]

 

2005 fsm page: ME(DOHC-TC)-4

main bearing thickness measured in middle

#1,#3: 1.998-2.011mm/.0787-.0792in

#2,#4: 2.000-2.013mm/.0787-.0793in

 

crank pin outer diameter (where con rod attaches): 51.984-52.000mm/2.0466-2.0472in

crank journal outer diameter (where sits in case): 59.992-60.008mm/2.3619-2.3625in

 

connecting rod

large end bearing

oil clearance: .017-.045mm/.0007-.0018in

bearing size in middle: 1.490-1.502mm/.0587-.0591in

 

small end bushing

clearance between piston pin & bushing: 0-.022mm/0-.0009in

Edited by boxkita
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Maybe I got wrong part number, i was pretty sure its 15024-4

 

http://www.manleyperformance.com/sc/Manley_SportCompact.pdf

 

Just looked at the box, its 15024-4, and I put my shitty caliper to it and its roughly around 55mm, so those specs are accurate, says 5.137" length on the box.

 

And you said you couldn't get the right clearance? oh boy... now I really gotta look into this. Everyone uses this model rod, I think I am missing something.

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nm, the oem rod big end bore is the same size, either 2.165 or 2.166. If it's the same size as the oem, then I need the .001 bearings I think.

 

I think there is a little confusion, I was trying to see if the big end rod bore on the manleys were the same size as oem, if std size gets you with oem specs, the .001 should get me to .002-.003 hopefully.

 

So it looks like I will be running std size bearings on the crank bearings, and .001 undersize on the rod bearings. Ordering .001's now.

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hmm. the bores are the same size on both oem and manley, 2.165". Its more like 54.99mm, but that was me just converting inches to mm. Oem connecting rod is 2.165" , so not sure where the discrepancy is. They need the bigger clearance because they do grow more than the oem rods.

 

Actually it makes sense, the size of the crank is around 52mm where rods connect, plus a bearing, and a rod with a size of 55. makes sense to me!? You said the bearing is around 2mm thick, so 54.99-2, 52.99. Seems about right, not sure on the exact numbers for the crankshaft.

 

Not sure if my math makes sense, i need to put it on paper, but in my head it makes sense. A 52mm diameter, and a 55mm diameter, the 2mm bearing needs to be counted twice, so its more like 4mm of bearing. The gaps at the side and pressure will eat some of that extra 1mm.

Edited by Tehnation
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i'm still on 4th grade math on khan academy.

 

crank pin diameter = 52mm at largest size

bearing thickness = 1.5mm

bearing thickness on other side = 1.5mm

oil clearance = .04mm

oil clearance on other side = .04mm

total = 55.08mm / 2.168in

 

allowing for optimal values would be closer to the 2.165"

 

Geez, going to stop posting here. I'm an idiot

Edited by boxkita
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Ok so to stretch my bolts I ordered this:

 

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-900015

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/pro-66769

 

You will need a standard vise like this guy

 

https://www.harborfreight.com/6-in-swivel-vise-with-anvil-63189.html

 

1st i'm going to stretch the bolts

2nd i'm going to size up, organize and plastigauge all the rod and crank bearings

3rd send rotating assembly off to get balanced

 

I would have had to pay 40 per rod to have the bolts stretched, I'm trying to wean myself of the machine shop for this motor, like I said before it makes more sense to pay to learn than to pay someone else in the long run. I spent 90 on the rod vise and another 55 on the rod bolt stretch gauge, already had the HF vise. So for the same price I do it myself, and when I blow this motor up, I can try again.

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Apparently manley rods can run std size bearings or undersized. They sell the std size and the .001 for their own cranks, so the .002-.003 isn't actually a MUST, the rods don't expand so there is no need to account for it. So bearing size was probably not my issue because the rods can actually run the std size so it shouldn't have been an issue. But I'm going with the .002-.003 regardless this time.
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  • 3 weeks later...
i'm still on 4th grade math on khan academy.

 

crank pin diameter = 52mm at largest size

bearing thickness = 1.5mm

bearing thickness on other side = 1.5mm

oil clearance = .04mm

oil clearance on other side = .04mm

total = 55.08mm / 2.168in

 

allowing for optimal values would be closer to the 2.165"

 

Geez, going to stop posting here. I'm an idiot

 

boxkita, I think you are almost correct on this, but maybe don't double up the oil clearance. That drops you 0.040mm on the total stack. Think about when you check oil clearance with plastigage. You don't put it on both sides of the journal, right?

 

Since I'm in the middle of this with my own current build and the FSM doesn't have any of these (important) specs, here is a sample reverse calculation for stock, followed by numbers that come up on an actual engine at teardown. Also, aftermarket parts can have totally different specs, especially for oil clearance so modify accordingly.

 

First we follow boxkita's lead:

 

Crank journals 52.000 (diameter)

Bearing shells at crown: 1.500 (radius, times 2)

Oil clearance: 0.030 (diameter, shooting for mid range of FSM)

 

Total stack height (theoretical) is therefore 55.030 mm.

 

The FSM oil clearance target is 0.017 - 0.043, a big range, and we shoot for the middle in this example.

 

Now, if your rod bore was equal to 55.030 there would be no bearing crush to lock the shell into the bore, inviting a spun rod bearing. So how much smaller should the bore be?

 

Here are some actual numbers from the teardown inspection of a block with healthy but well-worn bearings at 180K miles on the clock.

 

The base bores in the rods (with torqued caps) measure 55.022mm. This is *way* below 55.080 mentioned above. The catalogue from a well-known bearing supplier says the bore should be 55.000 to 55.020, so this real-life measurement is consistent.

 

In the same engine at teardown, bearing thicknesses (used shells, decent shape) were 1.504 and 1.499; no surprise that one shell takes more wear than the other. That's 3.003mm in stack height so we are down to 52.019 for the bore with inserts installed. Interestingly, the *actual* measured bore with inserts installed and torqued was 52.024 so the difference (+0.005 mm = +0.0002 inch) is the effect of `crush' on the rod and accumulated measurement error.

 

Crank pin dimensions show this engine was evidently running with about 0.038 - 0.048 mm of oil clearance, which is on the high side of spec in the FSM mentioned above. Again, no big surprise there for such a high mileage block. It wasn't the bottom end that died, however.

 

Hope this helps.

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  • 4 weeks later...

So I just plastigauged one of the rod bearings and got about .001-.0012 clearance.... thats with the king stdx .001 undersize bearing....

 

do they make smaller bearings?

 

I thought .001 was the only undersized?

 

How the hell are people getting .002-.003, are they grinding the crank or rod, custom sizes?

 

hmm...will have to try again, and focus on making sure the rod doesn't move.

Edited by Tehnation
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  • 6 months later...
Finally got around to sending stuff off to the machine shop. Might need to get bigger pistons if I hone this block again...:rolleyes: We will see what the shop says, I want tight clearance to avoid piston slap, so it looks likely...
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So I just plastigauged one of the rod bearings and got about .001-.0012 clearance.... thats with the king stdx .001 undersize bearing....

 

do they make smaller bearings?

 

I thought .001 was the only undersized?

 

How the hell are people getting .002-.003, are they grinding the crank or rod, custom sizes?

 

hmm...will have to try again, and focus on making sure the rod doesn't move.

 

I had the shop polish crank journals and also mill down rod end caps to set clearances even. Hit .0025-.0028 clearance on diameter, Manley H-Tuff rods and King standard size bearings.

 

Also learned a valuable lesson, though it probably doesn't apply to you. The bearing clearances are very sensitive to load on the bearing (seated and torqued versus free). ie - measuring the rod bore w/ bolts torqued plus max bearing thickness to calculate clearance gave a dramatically different result versus measuring diameter directly with the bearing installed in the rod. Back to back measurements, calibrated mic and bore gage, difference was around .001-.0015 IIRC

Edited by awfulwaffle
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