F162 Continental main bearing clearance

stevieb49829 · Jul 17, 2023

Would you run .005 oil clearance on the front main bearing? It's not out of round or tapered and polished up really well. The other two are .003. I'd like to find a .002 undersize for it, but that single flange front main is really hard to find. And a regrind is out of the question when a bearing set alone is over $300. I already have a NOS set in STD. PS: for those of you who need to know, it's going in a MH 101 Jr. steve

shaun wallace · Jul 17, 2023

I would be crazy enough to put aluminum foil under insert on main cap.

rustred · Jul 17, 2023

for what u will be doing with it it will be fine. just use castrol 20-50 oil in it. and ya i would do that. its going around and around , not up and down.

Duner Wi · Jul 17, 2023

If mine I would shim it, I have been shimming all sorts of engines since the 1960's. It is time consuming for me but I can get it to work. This forum frowns on it because of the failure rate or they never tried it, they just know it is no good,.

This guy explains crush pretty good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAt-fkTntjE

more info on tapered shims
http://deckwartaperedshims.com/main-bearing-shim-installation.php

Fritz Maurer · Jul 17, 2023

Apparently there are two crankshafts for that engine, 2.250 and 2.375; a standard 350 Chevy main is 2.44, which should get you in the ballpark if you really have .005 to work with. You mentioned a flange, meaning the end play is controlled by the front main? If so, maybe can trim the Chevy bearing to go in there. For the 2.375 crank, an IHC 304 standard rod journal is .003 smaller, but no flange.

Janicholson · Jul 17, 2023

Shimming is a workable solution. Source in Link, Jim
Tapered shims do it correctly

stevieb49829 · Jul 17, 2023

I did think of shimming it, just didn't know it had been done before. And I was concerned about changing the crush. I will do some more research. The good thing with this bearing is the thrust flange, which would keep a shim captive on the one curved edge, and the outside thrust washer would capture the other edge. Thanks for your help. steve

stevieb49829 · Jul 17, 2023

Thanks, Jim. That beats the heck out of tin foil. And they sell a variety pack, so I can keep at it to get the clearance right, as long as I don't run out of Plastigauge! Do you do both halves, or is it good enough to just fix the clearance by shimming under only one of the shells? steve

stevieb49829 · Jul 17, 2023

Thanks, Fritz. It is a 2.25 journal. Since this is a slow RPM engine, I'm thinking the stresses to spin a shimmed bearing won't be too bad. Back in the day I would have just gone out to the scrap pile and scrounged a bearing out of a 350 block. Alas, all I have left is a small journal 327! steve

stevieb49829 · Jul 17, 2023

They don't call me Crazy Steve for nothing, but I like Jim's idea better than figuring out how thick of foil I'd need. steve

Janicholson · Jul 17, 2023

The directions are included, I think it is both. Jim

stevieb49829 · Jul 17, 2023

Duner, do you usually shim both halves or take up the adustment under only one shell?

Duner Wi · Jul 17, 2023

I only shim the bottom, check for clearance more than just TDC or BDC.

stevieb49829 · Jul 17, 2023

yup, I'm going to need more Plastigauge!

Duner Wi · Jul 17, 2023

For me it is plasti gauge and feel.

timcasbolt · Jul 17, 2023

(quoted from post at 18:05:39 07/17/23) I did think of shimming it, just didn't know it had been done before. And I was concerned about changing the crush. I will do some more research. The good thing with this bearing is the thrust flange, which would keep a shim captive on the one curved edge, and the outside thrust washer would capture the other edge. Thanks for your help. steve

f you're saying the thrust bearing has .005" clearance, I wouldn't worry about that at all.

Janicholson · Jul 17, 2023

I think he was measuring the crank journal clearance not the thrust clearance. I agree the thrust is OK as is. Jim

F162 Continental main bearing clearance

stevieb49829

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shaun wallace

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rustred

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Duner Wi

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Fritz Maurer

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