Sol'ers
I am about to order the new shells for my engine and have few
questions/comments to bounce off y'all (yeah, New Jersey now, but North
Carolina for a few years) before I start replacing main and big end
shells.
1. One big end journal has very light scoring around a narrow band in
line with the oil hole. It is more of a light scratching, probably from
a grain of sand or dirt. It is felt, very lightly, with a fingernail.
The engine is still in the car. Rather than letting the new bearing get
scratched from this existing damage, I was contemplating lightly using a
fine wetstone to smooth out the raised sections of the scratch. Will I
create more damage than exists? Has anyone ever dealt with very light
scoring like this? Any suggestions other than pulling the engine and
have it ground?
2. For general info, since my engine is fairly tight at the front and
rear seals, and the center main was plastigaged at 0.003", I am currently
planning to replace the shells on the big end bearings, the thrust
washers and the center main only. I am concerned about maintaining the
integrity of the oil seals after replacing the front and rear main
shells, when I really don't think they are horribly worn. I know 0.003"
is the allowable wear limit, but I don't have the time to pull the engine
this year. Also, with an insurance stipulation limiting my annual
driving to 2,500 miles, it should be some time before I add a lot of wear
to the bearings. In my opinion, the center main should wear the most,
so if it is only 0.003" then the others should be better. Any
suggestions or commentary from your vast experience would be appreciated.
Thanks.
BTW - If this message comes through as only a header please let me know.
(Sarcasm)
Jack Brooks
Hillsdale, New Jersey
1960 TR3-A TS69032L
1974 Norton Commando Roadster
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