Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Attached are the pics of the main cap and the bearings...pretty marked up, and one edge is even kind of sharp and peeling metal off! Don't know if that's a thrust issue or not.

Trying to read the markings on the back but no luck yet, so can't see if they're standard size or not. I see someone has stamped the mains 1,2,3,4,5...etc so the bottom end has been apart at some point.

Any suggestions before i just throw another bearing in and plastigauge it?


Also, the cap has a notch in the edge for locating a bearing, but i don't see any locating notches on the bearing.

Attach file:

---

  (79.11 KB)


  (97.59 KB)

Of course, it had to be the rod that was the most PITA to get to.

Took rod bearing number "easy to get to" off and it looked great! Got some numbers off the back. Dropped main number "easy to get to" and it look great on the crank surface face, but once getting it out of the cap i got what looks something like a metallic foil sticker off of it...it was holding the main bearing in the cap pretty good.

Attach file:

---

  (76.36 KB)


  (82.64 KB)

I think shimming the bearings to get a little extra life out of them without turning the crank was common in earler days so wonder if that is what the foil stuff is.

Numbers on the back of the bearing look to be

15135.SB
Fm

PC and then printed (not engraved) near the edge of the bearing seems to be the numbers "970" or STO or STD???

Googling hasn't shown up anything, can anyone point me in the right direction towards a cross reference to see if these are std size or not?

Attach file:

---

  (52.37 KB)

Check the factory parts cataloug to determine if that is a factory part number. The "FM" mite be Federal Mogul.

Are the caps marked with a "1" thru "8"??? Mkae sure that the caps are reassembled to rods correctly. Check for cylinder wall oiler hole that has to be positioned correctly upon reassemble.

Condition of crank journals is also an issue.

But first things first:
Get the rods and mains plastigauged. Don;t forget (as has already been mentioned) to jack up the crank while measuring the MAINS.

If they all measure out ok then the knock is from some source and i would not start replacing bearings, or at least not yet, until the source of the knock is determined. Plasitgauge will rule in or out the bearings. Be sure to mic the rod journals for out of round and taper.

THat slivered insert bearing makes me suspicous of either a taperd rod journal or somekind of assembly that was backwards.

Shimming bearings was standard procedure to get a little more life out of a tired engine when you didn't want to grind the crank to undersize. I have often done it on my own cars.

That rod bearing has been spinning and has probably mucked up the rod and cap. You could try putting another bearing in and hope for the best but...that begs the question of why it spun in the first place; a plugged passage or low oil pressure because of a loose main bearing.

On my monitor, I think that bearing is saying .030, which means 30 thousandths undersize. In which case, that crankpin will measure 2.220". or if that was a main it would be 2.716 if memory serves.

See if you can get a caliper up in there--even a cheap one from horrible freight will do.