femtnmax
Well-Known Member
For a bunch of reasons ended up changed the crankshaft main bearings with the crank in the engine, and engine in the truck. Removed one main cap at a time, not loosening them all as some have suggested. Inserted a nail into the crank oil passage, then rotated the crank and the nail easily pushed the bearing shell out of the block.
Made a tool out of a 16 penny nail. Filed the head a little thinner so the head thickness was a little more than half the thickness of the bearing shell. Rounded off the edges of the head to prevent scuffling of the bearing housing bore in the block. Also filed the nail head flat on one side where it would push against the bearing shell. Cut the nail shaft off at about 1.5 inch length, and bent the nail shaft at about a 30 degree angle approx .25 inch from the head. The bend allowed the nail shaft to follow the angled oil passages in the crank.
After placing the nail in the crank, I'd start rotating the crank and turn the nail until the nail head was flush against the crank journal, thus not touching the engine block as the crank was rotated.
Measured all the replacement bearing shells to verify they were all the same thickness as the ones being removed. Reinstalling the "upper" bearing shell into the block went easily, laid the bearing on the crank, then by hand started rotating it up between the crank and the engine block. They would push in most of the way, then push into final location with a copper drift and hammer taps.
Plastic gauge measured one complete bearing to verify crank clearance.
I left the upper half of the rear main seal in place, was not too old, and added a new lower seal half plus new rear main cap side seals and oil pan gasket of course.
The job went well, took about half a day working carefully.
Put about 80 miles on the truck with no load in the truck box, then put 250 miles on it hauling a 2400 lb load. No problems at all.
I'm a Mopar owner, Just thought I'd post it on this forum, plenty of gear heads here which is good IMO. Engine is a 428 Ford in a 67 3/4 ton 4x4.
Made a tool out of a 16 penny nail. Filed the head a little thinner so the head thickness was a little more than half the thickness of the bearing shell. Rounded off the edges of the head to prevent scuffling of the bearing housing bore in the block. Also filed the nail head flat on one side where it would push against the bearing shell. Cut the nail shaft off at about 1.5 inch length, and bent the nail shaft at about a 30 degree angle approx .25 inch from the head. The bend allowed the nail shaft to follow the angled oil passages in the crank.
After placing the nail in the crank, I'd start rotating the crank and turn the nail until the nail head was flush against the crank journal, thus not touching the engine block as the crank was rotated.
Measured all the replacement bearing shells to verify they were all the same thickness as the ones being removed. Reinstalling the "upper" bearing shell into the block went easily, laid the bearing on the crank, then by hand started rotating it up between the crank and the engine block. They would push in most of the way, then push into final location with a copper drift and hammer taps.
Plastic gauge measured one complete bearing to verify crank clearance.
I left the upper half of the rear main seal in place, was not too old, and added a new lower seal half plus new rear main cap side seals and oil pan gasket of course.
The job went well, took about half a day working carefully.
Put about 80 miles on the truck with no load in the truck box, then put 250 miles on it hauling a 2400 lb load. No problems at all.
I'm a Mopar owner, Just thought I'd post it on this forum, plenty of gear heads here which is good IMO. Engine is a 428 Ford in a 67 3/4 ton 4x4.
