Crankshaft thrust washer grooves

[robertf]

My manual isn't specific, and all of the parts catalogs are not clear. Do the grooves on the thrust washers face the crankshaft or the bearing?

 

[RootesRacer]

The grooves are to allow oil to flow off the cranks thrust face for cooling.
Flat side goes against the block (not bearing), the grooved side goes against the crank.


Be sure to measure the clearance after installation.
Too much clearance and they will fail and/or fall out of their slots in the block.

 

[jumpinjan]

He's right. One side is the steel blank of the bearing, the other side (grooved) is the bearing material side. Please DOUBLE check your work, make certain you have the bearing side on the crank! (I have seen them installed backwards) And get the end play set right too.
Jan

 

[robertf]

thanks guys.

I seem to be missing my feeler gauges so I'll check them tomorrow.

New thrust washers and bearings. Do you sand the back if its too tight and cut out shims if its too loose? I couldn't get the 2nd one in without giving the crankshaft a good whack with the deadblow.

 

[jumpinjan]

You want to use a dial indicator to check the end play. You may have an oversized bearing that's too large. What I do is keep my old bearings and when I set the endplay I might use a used bearing if the fit is too tight. So, I mic all the used ones and sort them out in size, then I can just pick out a used one and then recheck the play.
you should NEVER force any bearing like that. If the endplay is good, they will go in very easily.
Jan

 

[robertf]

I hit the crankshaft axially. No bearing was harmed in the process

 

[RootesRacer]

One very nice thing about this type of thrust bearing is that if the wear makes it so that STD bearings are too loose, you can use one oversized bearing and one std (like using one .005 bearing and one std bearing will yield .0025 tighter clearance).

 

[robertf]

well I'll set up the dial indicator and check it out after I get these wrist pin bushings out.

You guys sound like you've been through these motors a few times. How tight are the bushings pressed into the rods? I get the press loaded up just to the point of getting nervous about something cracking and the bushings don't move.

 

[jumpinjan]

Those new bushings need to be sized to the pins. That in itself, is not easy.

 

[robertf]

well I took them to the machine shop to get fitted to the new pistons.


What should the piston clearance be? I'm using the .020 over pistons from Classic Sunbeam. They are King brand pistons. Not a race car, its getting I think the ka grind from Delta, whichever was the more stock of the 2.

 

[robertf]

machine shop finished with everything. I was getting ready to put the connecting rod and pistons together and I noticed one of the connecting rod oil jets is not drilled through. It was drilled from the bottom, then the chamfer on the top was drilled, but it is not finished between there.

I haven't seen any reference to one not being drilled in the books, but wanted to check here before fixing it.

 

[Thor 1211]

thrust washers

Is replacing the thrust washers something you can do from under the car without having to remove the crank. I was hoping to be able the finagel them out just by removing the cap. Possible?

 

[RootesRacer]

Is replacing the thrust washers something you can do from under the car without having to remove the crank. I was hoping to be able the finagel them out just by removing the cap. Possible?

Yes, the crank stays in place and the center main cap is what holds the thrust bearings in place in a groove in the center main saddle.

 

[Thor 1211]

Great, thanks Rootes Racer!