Gimme Fuel

Well, it is looking like I need to get those 4 Clevite bearings and have my thrust main sleeved for a standard thrust bearing. That will cost around $250 from the shop I talked to....but 4-5 week turn around time......fug.

Anybody else have any creative solutions? Bueller?

I mean does Jasper and other re-builders trash these blocks when the mains need a bore because of some damage? Sure, make undersize bearings to support turned cranks (cheaper to replace than block anyways) but not for when there is damage to the block side......Here I go again trying to use common sense. I have to keep telling myself that most engineers think they are above the KISS principal when it comes to this chit. (I have dealt with a TON of them too).

articfriends

iTrader: (1)

Who's the shop thats going to fix your block? I have had great experiences from Caro auto, had ok work done at Valley motors, gotten totally ripped off from Reichards in Owosso, Seen Stuff Rodgers did that needed to just be thrown in the trash when they were done and Have dynoed at Teeniers but never been able to wait long enough for him to do anything as his 2-4 weeks really means 6 plus months! Wilsons marine has all the equipment from when Rosebush got out of it and Don Krueger did some real nice but exspensive work for me when he was still at Rosebushes, Wilsons hired him when they bought all the equipment, Smitty
Tri-city out past you has done ok work for my friends years ago but not sure the are even around anymore.

mcollinstn

Strip the block.
Spray weld the saddles with a high nickel alloy powder. Clamp ceramic side shields to keep the side buildup to a minimum. If you do it right, you can clean the sides of the saddles with a flat file and an angle grinder with scotchbrite finishing wheels.
Buy new caps, or even good used caps that have been shaved.
Bore it and align hone it to standard size.

No expensive, hard to find, oddball bearings to worry about.

MC

The welding itself should not cost more than $20 per saddle.

BillK

Thats why I suggested calling a couple of the big rebuilders to see if they may have some leftover stock ? Another thought, E-mail you rfiend Miss Walters at King and ask her if she might be able to find out who some of the latest purchasers of the bearings were ? I did that once for an oddball tractor cam I was looking for and it actually panned out. Got in touch with the guy that had purchased the last 5 and managed to score one from him.

Just a thought

Gimme Fuel

Ron,

I apologize but we sold our last run to a rebuilder, not a warehouse that could stock this item. I have previously searched warehouses that had purchased it previously and there is no existing stock left (this is why I did not offer to look for this in other locations). I have heard that sealed power makes an equivalent bearing, but I do not have the part number. Please let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.

Thanks,

Diana Walters
King Engine Bearings, Inc.
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Well, I will look into this Sealed Power..........

Gimme Fuel

Well, I called Federal-Mogul's tech line......

The guy that helped me was great....Name was Hank.....very informative, not in a total rush to get me off the phone like most tech lines you call, and he was American! He gave me the number to EGGE Machine Co. (www.egge.com) Apparently they make reproduction bearings and other parts....and they do have over-sized BBC main bearings listed on their website......but I have to wait for those peeps in California to wake up and go to work......I might be onto something.

Also, because F-M does have good customer service, you can bet they will get a lot more of my business. That is so rare these days especially from a big company.

DirtyJohnson

I am in CA and already working

this has been mentioned a couple times and you could have been done and running standard bearings
spray weld

BillK

DJ,

I know this has been mentioned several times but I am not sure if you realize how involved of a job that really is. First of all, depending on the area you are in, you have to find somebody that can properly spray weld the saddles without ruining the block. I personally cannot think of anyone that I know that can do it. Then you have to buy new caps or find a set of used ones close enough to work, especially the thrust. Then, and this is probably the hardest part, you have to find somebody capable of align boring and honing the block to the original centerline, which will now be lost due to the welding.

I certainly cannot do it and the only person I know that "might" be able to is 300 miles away from me and I would take a guess that it would cost a minimum of $800 by the time all was said and done. By the time you go through all that, you might as well get a Dart block and be done with it.

You may be in an area that has an abundance of shops that can do this type of work, but not all areas of the country do.

Just my opinion,

Bill Koustenis
Advanced Automotive Machine
Waldorf Md

Gimme Fuel

I looked into this with my previous damaged block. It was not recommended by the machinists because of the way that the welding process would change the hardness and metallurgy of the mains making it brittle and difficult to machine. (My 3/4 of an engineering degree so far earned concurs once I actually thought about it). Welding on cast iron is one thing repairing a oil pan rail or a water jacket....but doesn't seem to work well for mains, etc.

At this point, a custom set of bearings is far cheaper and less time consuming if I can pull it off....otherwise I have at least a month wait to get the thrust main sleeved.

bustedbrick

I'd trash the block before I went to a custom, one-off bearing. From a quick glance at their website, they specialize in keeping really old iron on the road. Unless they have experience getting a 1950's Hudson Hornet to make 650HP in a marine application, I would say this is going to be a complete cr*p shoot for your application.