# Need advice on Changing rod bearings and main bearings? (Bedroom rebuild)



## DIRTYJERZ201 (May 28, 2009)

Im sorry for the story. Ok I got my self a 98 avant 2.8 30v about a year ago with 238,xxx miles:what: I know I know. The car runs beautiful and sounds amazing for this many miles, the only thing that was killing the car was at least every seal and gasket was pissing oil and coolant. The valve covers, oil pan upper and lower, front main seal, rear main seal, ex,,, So I went on line and bought every seal and gasket possible even if I didn't leak I still got the new seal for it. Here's why I'm here, I got the motor out of he car, tranny off, pretty much short block now, got 3 of my brothers and lifted this 10 thousand pound motor up 3 flights of stairs into my room in my apt:screwy: I know I know. After bringing it up and Putting it on the engine stand, I went to town and started taking everything apart to redo everythinggg. I took the heads off because I'm also doing head gaskets and realized there's sooooo much build up on these pistons I don't know how I didn't get any tapping at cold startup :thumbup::thumbdown:. So I'm thinking now, ok these have to be cleaned by a machine shop. As I'm looking at the pistons I put my thumb on the top and the pistons have play left to right.:banghead: here we go I'm just gonna rebuild this whole thing in my room. Some one told me if I'm doing all of this, you should do you rod bearings also. Ok I can do the rod bearings and piston rings. He also told me that I don't have to do the main bearings?:sly: just do the rod bearings? Is this true? I'm thinking get some plastic gauge and measure the wear in the rod bearings and the main bearings and just getting new ones. Is there any good advice any one can tell me when it comes to rod/main bearings. Also is there any difference in brands when it comes to bearings, can you tell me the best choice for a good brand. Thanks for reading and sorry if any mistakes or anything sloppy.










































































































Kinda like this:facepalm:


----------



## DIRTYJERZ201 (May 28, 2009)

If there was never any rod knock or metal shaving going on, is there any need to measure the wear for the bearings? The car ran great, can I just buy standard size bearings?


----------



## joemac356 (Nov 13, 2006)

With the mileage you have, I would at least replace the rod bearings with standard size shells. You might want to look into having the rods themselves balanced. Factory tolerance is five grams. I always balanced mine to one gram.

The other thing to look into is having the valve guides checked for wear. Any decent machine shop can check and replace valve guides, which tend to be a high wear item.

Check the condition of all of your chain guides, as well. Now is the time to make everything right, since you have it apart. 
I would check the main bearings while you have it stripped down to that point, since you are dropping the crank to do the rods/bearings.

Any split shell bearings should have their ends chamfered slightly so they don't act as scrapers. Old school racer's trick.


----------



## DIRTYJERZ201 (May 28, 2009)

Thanks Joemac

I was thinking the same thing, while I'm here I might as well do the rod and main bearings at the same time.
For the head Im going to strip them bare and bring them to headmasters and they said $125 for milling and bath for both heads. So when I get them back I might reuse everything except the valve guides and valve seals, those will be replaced. For the chain guides and adjusters, they have aftermarket ones on eBay for 200 each, I might get 2 of those because I don't think I want to spend 400-500 on just one. I looked into redoing all 30 valves but if I do that then I need 30 new lifters, i don't know, well see how it go's.


----------



## a81sturmer (Jan 3, 2011)

Please remove the american flag from the greasy engine. Thanks.


----------



## Imyourcaptin (Jan 6, 2007)

Take the flag off the engine. 

Then we'll talk more. That's horse ****.


----------

