.002 Main Bearings...!!!

NCTURBOS

Gettin' back in action!!
Staff member
Joined
May 26, 2001
Does anyone still make .002 main bearing sets?? Or does anyone have any NOS .002 main bearings laying around??

I had a stock crank polished up to go back in a motor, figuring all I would need are some .001 bearings... Well with the .001 bearings the journals measure out to .0025 clearance. I'd like to save from having to take the crank back to get turned .010 but I also haven't measured the rods yet either, so...


Thanks,

K.
 
Have you called any of the vendors like cottons, azgn, or fullthrottle? If not I would start there. After that I'd check the parts stores. Don't trust autozones online part search, go to the store. Also, NAPA tends to carry a bunch of stuff others don't.

That's if you want different bearings. If it was my engine I'd leave the clearance at .0025 and do some oiling mods. Open the bearings up to match the passages to the mains, get some of ta performances duel grooved duel feed yaddi yaddy high dollar cam bearings, work the front cover over, set up you're pump right and you'd probably be surprised at the oil pressure you end up with. I did that with a HV pump and I almost have more oil pressure than I want. I'm going to start running a 0w-20 oil next change (10w-30 right now) and I'm expecting to still have 20 psi hot idle in drive. And by hot idle I mean after I've been driving, not just warmed up in the driveway. Also, I don't have an oil cooler yet.

By the way, a HV pump isn't going to kill the front cam bearing unless you don't need it and develop too much oil pressure. If you build the engine for it you can just reap the benefits of higher flow, otherwise known as volume. That's why it's call a high volume pump instead of a high pressure pump. Because while too much pressure is usually bad, too much volume usually isn't. That's my .02. james
 
Have you called any of the vendors like cottons, azgn, or fullthrottle? If not I would start there. After that I'd check the parts stores. Don't trust autozones online part search, go to the store. Also, NAPA tends to carry a bunch of stuff others don't.

That's if you want different bearings. If it was my engine I'd leave the clearance at .0025 and do some oiling mods. Open the bearings up to match the passages to the mains, get some of ta performances duel grooved duel feed yaddi yaddy high dollar cam bearings, work the front cover over, set up you're pump right and you'd probably be surprised at the oil pressure you end up with. I did that with a HV pump and I almost have more oil pressure than I want. I'm going to start running a 0w-20 oil next change (10w-30 right now) and I'm expecting to still have 20 psi hot idle in drive. And by hot idle I mean after I've been driving, not just warmed up in the driveway. Also, I don't have an oil cooler yet.

By the way, a HV pump isn't going to kill the front cam bearing unless you don't need it and develop too much oil pressure. If you build the engine for it you can just reap the benefits of higher flow, otherwise known as volume. That's why it's call a high volume pump instead of a high pressure pump. Because while too much pressure is usually bad, too much volume usually isn't. That's my .02. james


Yep.

Higher pressures increase oil temp. Higher volume with lower pressures cool the bearing and motor down.

Billy T.
gnxtc2@aol.com
 
As a rule of thumb, every other engine I've assembled (there's been a few) I've set up with no more than .002 clearances. Most were in the .0015-.0017 range, and so far I've had no issues. If this was my own engine I'd be a little more acceptable at leaving the .0025 clearance, but this is going in someone else's car so I want to be more cautious.

How much clearance does the coating of a coated bearing use up?


K.
 
now wide awake yet

.0005--Be sure and talk to Jerry as he once told me that they can build extra on to tighten clearance.
 
.0005--Be sure and talk to Jerry as he once told me that they can build extra on to tighten clearance.

FYI, I just got off the phone with Jerry @ Calico Coatings. Their "standard" application to the bearings takes up .00025-.0003 per half bearing shell. Their "heavy" coating takes up .0004-.0005 per half bearing shell.


K.
 
I've got a couple sets of Vandy .002 US rod bearings. They are wide journal versions. You can still buy FM bearings in Std and .001 US rods and mains from TA
 
I've got a couple sets of Vandy .002 US rod bearings. They are wide journal versions. You can still buy FM bearings in Std and .001 US rods and mains from TA

The rods measured out great with off the shelf .001 shells. I ordered the FM107M-1 with the "heavy" coating from Calico for the mains. We'll see how they stack up in a couple of days.

I need to call Jerry back and run some questions by him on the integrity of the coating. Anyone here run the coated bearings, and then do a tear down for inspection?


K.
 
Bearings

The rods measured out great with off the shelf .001 shells. I ordered the FM107M-1 with the "heavy" coating from Calico for the mains. We'll see how they stack up in a couple of days.

I need to call Jerry back and run some questions by him on the integrity of the coating. Anyone here run the coated bearings, and then do a tear down for inspection?


K.

I have been coating my own bearings (Tech Line Coating) for years. Jerry coated some other parts for me that I had no way of getting the oil out (Valve springs--ring and pinion). On mains, the upper shells show 0 wear--the bottom will show some--depending on many factors as I'm sure you know. This is probably something you need to look into if you do very much assembly. I, unlike many, like VERY tight clearances.
 
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