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When It Rains....it Pours. Weekend Nightmare.

Discussion in 'Intermediate CJ-5/6/7/8' started by dsrt4, Aug 23, 2020.

  1. Aug 23, 2020
    dsrt4

    dsrt4 Member

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2009
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    555
    Back story..

    1973 cj5 been in family since new. Stretched it into a cj6..

    All caught up..

    Ive been trying to get this thing back on the street after wheeling it for a decade.

    I started out just wanting to change the water pump but then found a ate out spot on the timing cover behind the water pump. Looked to bad to fix. Found another locally and bought it. Went to put it on and noticed a huge crack down the side of it. $100 down the toilet.

    Found a kid at a tuner shop that said "Hell I can weld that timing cover up" So I let him try and he did. Even filed and lapped the water pump face down to within .0002"! Changed out the timing chain to a new one and proceed to try and button it up.

    Went to put in on and remembered the timing cover really sucks to put on the v8 with the oil pan installed.
    The pan was slightly leaking so what the hell. Pulled it and said "Better change that rear main seal!"

    Well sHiat... Never should have pulled that bearing cap off! . I had already changed the rear main seal in 2003 and only 4k miles ago.... But when I pulled it the rear main bearing is showing all copper. So I Pulled the next bearing... Almost the same... almost all copper showing! All the other bearing caps were pulled and they show minimal wear and no copper. So those are good.. Typical AMC bad rear oiling strikes again..


    I pulled a few rod caps and the bearings look great on them. Engine has 60k original miles on it.

    So now what. The engine did not knock had decent oil pressure for a AMC v8. Has bad valve seals but that was literally it. Ran like a watch since I have had it. 1994 is when I bought it off my father.


    Crank journals look great. No crappy finish nothing.. All look great. Factory main bearings don't show a over or undersize notation on the back side. Just a part# and date with a AM logo. Part# doesn't show up on any amc parts # searches...


    I'm in a bind. The engines in and the cash to get it on the road again is almost tapped out. There's no way I could pull it where I am at and even them the money to have the lower end went through. I've done main bearings in the car doing the screw method to roll and insert the top main bearings out and in and have very good luck... But all those the bearings where marked for under or oversize and on chebby 350's

    Valve cover tag doesn't show any undersize bearings. Just year size and date.

    I gotta try and get this thing fixed in the jeep. But it seems really stupid to try and just put the cap back on with the rear bearings showing copper . Without the crank being pulled I haven't a clue how to try and find out what bearings it needs unless I just assume they are all standard size bearings and just go for it.


    Any ideas... I know a long read but I wanted to cover all bases. Like I said...when it rains it pours.. One thing after another and all that.
     
  2. Aug 23, 2020
    dsrt4

    dsrt4 Member

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    Oct 30, 2009
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    555
    This is what is marked on the back side of the rear crank bearing. D52 and the manufacture date.
     

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  3. Aug 24, 2020
    Bigdaddy13

    Bigdaddy13 Member

    So.Cal
    Joined:
    Nov 19, 2019
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    556
    I would:
    1. install a new oil pump since you're probably right there anyways (can't be more than $30-40 bucks, right?)
    2. put it back together, torqued correctly.
    3. full of fresh oil and a new filter and...

    and run the heck out of it. Just keep an eye on the oil pressure. :)

    All the while, I'd save up for the donor motor that you might need in a couple thousand miles/year or two (depending on how much you drive it)

    That's just me, tho. :)
     
    dsrt4 likes this.
  4. Aug 24, 2020
    dsrt4

    dsrt4 Member

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    Oct 30, 2009
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    555
    I can get standard nos clevite bearings for less than $40 nos. I put a new pump in it.

    I'm going to roll them out and roll new ones in its place. I'll try and find a 360 to swap it with when it goes.

    I should have kept the 401 from my gremlin... oh well.
     
    fhoehle likes this.
  5. Aug 24, 2020
    PeteL

    PeteL If it wasn't for physics, and law enforcement... 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Hills of NH
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    What I would do. And try to correct the original cause...
     
    fhoehle likes this.
  6. Aug 24, 2020
    jpflat2a

    jpflat2a what's that noise?

    Hermosa, SD
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    3196808 is the AMC part number FYI.
     
  7. Aug 24, 2020
    dsrt4

    dsrt4 Member

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    Oct 30, 2009
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    555
    Yep. I have scoured the amc parts lists for the bearing but haven't had any luck finding the exact bearing. The guys on the amc forum seem to think it's a standard bearing and the factory valve cover tag doesnt show any oversize or undersize designations on it.
     
  8. Aug 24, 2020
    Keys5a

    Keys5a Sponsor

    Florida Keys
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    Jan 23, 2014
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    I can't be positive, but those mains should be standard size. All OEM bearings I have ever touched will have under or over sizes on them if they vary from standard. I have some out of my 360 that are stamped 0.0003 and 0.0002. I ended up installing one half bearing standard, and the other half an 0.001.
    Roll in a new set of standards on those two showing copper, and put a fresh oil pump in. New rear main and pan gasket, and run it!
    -Donny
     
  9. Aug 24, 2020
    Jeepenstein

    Jeepenstein Me like Jeep..

    North Central FL
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    Jun 15, 2003
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    Ohhh.. that's on my bucket list..
     
  10. Aug 24, 2020
    dsrt4

    dsrt4 Member

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    555
    I was able to find some good info in a old 1973 AMC factory service manual that came with my 73 gremlin.

    It shows a factory paint code on the crank for whatever size the crank is . It also notates the bearing size.
    The crank was marked with yellow grease paint and that designates standard size crank and bearings.

    I pulled the least worn looking crank bearing. Both top and bottom. I used the screw trick to rotate it out of the top of the crank.. It was silly easiy.

    I put the 2 halves together on a CMM at work and used vblocs to hold it together . it measured 2.7481" like 10 times checking it so 3 tenths under size of the standard bearing . The well worn rear two bearing are showing 2.749. So if they must have not wore much. Might have caught it in time. The pic shows the standard size. All crank journals look really good.

    All connecting rod bearings look fine. look like 60k miles of wear. Debating on even touching those bearings..
     

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  11. Aug 25, 2020
    sterlclan

    sterlclan Member 2022 Sponsor

    exploring the...
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    You’re in there now might as well do em.
     
  12. Aug 27, 2020
    dsrt4

    dsrt4 Member

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    Got my new standard size main bearings in. Should have the rod bearings tomorrow some time. Hope to start swapping them Friday night or Saturday morning. Wish me luck.. probably gonna need it! :)
     
    Bigdaddy13 likes this.
  13. Aug 28, 2020
    dsrt4

    dsrt4 Member

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    555
    Main bearings in. Went in ok save for the Center bearing.. That was a Big pain in the butt. Used assembly lube. I left the rear main cap off for now. The rod bearings never showed up. Probably monday now.
     
  14. Aug 29, 2020
    dsrt4

    dsrt4 Member

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    Rod bearings in. Easier than the main bearings None of them looked to terribly bad. Now to button it all back up down there and get on with the rest of the project..
     
    47v6 and Fireball like this.
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