7-main six thrust bearing

[thesameguy]

Does the thrust bearing on a 7-main six require any special handling when refitting the cap like an earlier engine does?

 

[bubba22349]

Not much, after you install bearings and main caps are torqued check the cranks thrust measurement is within spec with a dial indicator and your good to go

 

[thesameguy]

Cool, thanks. The earlier motors I guessed required shifting the crank back and forth to position the bearings, but I didn't see how that was possible on the later car. Inching closer to reassembly...

 

[CNC-Dude]

Unless the thrust bearing main cap is doweled you will still need to get both halves of the thrust bearing faces in the same plane or the crank will only make contact to half of the bearing surface and result in premature wear and possible failure.

 

[thesameguy]

I did not remove the bearings from the caps... I actually had to move the crank so I could scrape out the half-disintegrated remains of the rear main seal. I loosened the caps, lifted the crank a couple mm, cleaned out the rope seal, and then reassembled. Nothing else was changed or adjusted. All the bearings looked great with smooth surfaces and light, even wear, so I was not inclined to replace anything. Did I miss something, or does that sound ok?

 

[CNC-Dude]

The rear main is not where the thrust bearing is located on this engine.

 

[thesameguy]

I am aware of that. I removed ALL the bearing caps in order to move the crank enough to clean out the remains of the rear main seal. When I set the crank back down and tightened the bearing caps back down, I was not sure whether the thrust bearing require special handling. I did not remove any bearings from their caps, I simply loosened the caps.

 

[CNC-Dude]

As I mentioned above, unless the main cap for the thrust bearing is doweled, you will need to make sure that the two halves of the thrust bearing face(upper and lower) are in the same plane and contact the thrust flange on the crankshaft equally. You will need to check how much thrust(end play) you have with the cap removed, and then install the cap and see if it changes(it will only make it less). If it does, then this is telling you the cap is staggered(front to back in relation to the block) and not placing both thrust bearing face surfaces equally against the crankshaft, and will need to be corrected.