Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 7:30 pm Post subject: Lower end rod & main bearings
I thought I'd throw this up here as food for thought. Too manya times we assume the big US name is still US. This quote is from the G503 CJ board where Sean brought up some very valid points.
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This machine shop says they use Clevite parts...
So "Michigan" might be a bulk brand that Clevite supplies to machine shops.
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I did not have the front thrust plate in place at the time of torqueing the front cap. That would help to align the cap.
Oops Embarassed That shouldn't be necessary. I meant to say "hold forward pressure" (was standing the wrong way in my imagination!). The crank has its own forward thrust face, so using the thrust plate isn't necessary.
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In regards to your experience with Federal Mogul connrod bearings... What was your particular problem with them?
I had used them many times in the past w/out issue (last time was @'93-94), so being a creature of habit, that's what I had the store order in early '07 (full set, rods & mains).
On taking them out of the boxes, I was appalled at the quality:
* nearly every bearing surface was scratched. 3-4 of them deep enough to easily catch a fingernail in.
* about 1/3 of them had large hard "blobs" of the grey suface treatment stuck on. Looked like they'd been sprayed with a spatter gun, measured at .020-030 thick.
* nearly all of them had significant burrs on the mating edges, sharp enough to slice skin & draw blood!
* one con-rod shell had .020" inner circumference taper at the mating edge. Visible to inspection before measuring it!
They were an abomination, so I took them back. When the store owner asked what was wrong, I told him it's easier if he just looked at them. He didn't get past opening the second box!
I asked for Clevite, but that wasn't a "stock" item for that store, would have required "special order" surcharge. So the owner got on the phone to the distributor, told them the sad story about the quality. The distributor said they'd ship another set, and check every one of them first for quality. But I'd say they didn't.
The second set was a far cry from the first set, but still had easily visible flaws:
* the surfaces were still scratched, 'tho not as severe or as numerous
* the edges were still burred, nearly as bad
* no large "blobs", but the surface treatment was still NOT smooth.
* at least no out-of round bearing shell
I still declined them, and the owner had no objection. Even said he wouldn't use them himself. I got a full refund & went elsewhere that could order Clevite. Have no issues with them at all.
Apparently, in the years since I last used them, Federal Mogul bearings have been outsourced to Mexico (and possibly elsewhere), and are now on my "do not buy" list.
Sean
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