Tom the tell tale signs of worn bearings is a drop in oil pressure. Also
you may get a sound when the engine is under load (going up a hill) that
sounds like pinging. If the bearings go you'll know it.
...Art
On Sat, 7 Feb 1998, Tom Reichard wrote:
> My '77 RB Midget 1500 has 53,500 miles. As far as I know, the engine has not
> been rebuilt, although it has been through a few owners and it's possible it
> has been.
>
> I have a newly rebuilt engine ready to go in, but I hate to pull out a
> perfectly good engine until the time is right to do so. The one in the car
> runs great. Oil pressure starts out at about 60 when it's cold, when hot
> it's about 40-50 at cruise and 10 at idle. I can't hear any unusual sounds -
> the engine sounds good to my untrained ear.
>
> I understand the 1500 engines are typically in need of rod and main bearings
> at 50,000 miles. How do I know when the time has come? Is the oil pressure
> OK at the above figures? Will there be unmistakeable knocks, rattles and/or
> vibrations that I won't miss? If I inadvertently drive past the time when
> the mains and rod bearings need replacement, is there a risk of damaging the
> engine beyond the point of rebuilding? What should I listen for? Any
> foolproof way of telling the condition of the engine other than listening to
> it?
>
>
>
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