great news.....NOT!
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,917
Likes: 48
From: Angier nc
great news.....NOT!
so i drop my car off at CAM for jeff to install my hotcam,EWP,and retune it.it has had a nasty lifter noise for some time(or so i thought it was a lifter).
so i get the call today,"the noise is not coming from your lifter it's coming from your timing chain/gears rubbing against the block because the thrust bearing on your crankshaft is shot and the thing is walking back and forth at least a 1/2 of an inch".
so when i get home my wife says "hi honey,how as your day?"i am glad i remembered she is my wife and i have to live with her.
oh did i mention 2 of my 3 motorcycles are in the shop also?and my dodge was scheduled to get painted and the interior redone next month.oh yeah,i just spent $500 for a fiberglass hard top that still needs to be painted.
i keep putting miracle grow on that tree in the backyard but it is'nt dropping any money.
anyone want to buy a honda 900RR?
it will all be fine.i just needed to vent.i will find out the extent of the damage tomorrow or the next day and proceed.
before any of you smart asses say STROKE IT DUDE i would love too,but the money aint there.
there i feel better
so i get the call today,"the noise is not coming from your lifter it's coming from your timing chain/gears rubbing against the block because the thrust bearing on your crankshaft is shot and the thing is walking back and forth at least a 1/2 of an inch".
so when i get home my wife says "hi honey,how as your day?"i am glad i remembered she is my wife and i have to live with her.
oh did i mention 2 of my 3 motorcycles are in the shop also?and my dodge was scheduled to get painted and the interior redone next month.oh yeah,i just spent $500 for a fiberglass hard top that still needs to be painted.
i keep putting miracle grow on that tree in the backyard but it is'nt dropping any money.
anyone want to buy a honda 900RR?
it will all be fine.i just needed to vent.i will find out the extent of the damage tomorrow or the next day and proceed.
before any of you smart asses say STROKE IT DUDE i would love too,but the money aint there.
there i feel better
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,917
Likes: 48
From: Angier nc
Racer
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 269
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver B.C.
Sorry to hear of your crank problems George.
Not to put too fine a point to it, but your main thrust bearing is only about 1/8" to 3/16" thick. So if your mechanic was being accurate (1/2" play)....you MAY be looking at a new crank (or weld up/machine down) as a BEST case. Worst case is the block surface is toast as well.
Lets HOPE it's ok.
Not to put too fine a point to it, but your main thrust bearing is only about 1/8" to 3/16" thick. So if your mechanic was being accurate (1/2" play)....you MAY be looking at a new crank (or weld up/machine down) as a BEST case. Worst case is the block surface is toast as well.
Lets HOPE it's ok.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
The crankshaft bit is BS. If it were true, youd hear a lot more than lifter type noises....Heck youd throw the belt every time you ran the car. Best of luck! How many miles on it?
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2006
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From: sw Ohio
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 17,298
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From: The Top of Utah
Originally Posted by 96 lt-4
"the noise is not coming from your lifter it's coming from your timing chain/gears rubbing against the block because the thrust bearing on your crankshaft is shot and the thing is walking back and forth at least a 1/2 of an inch".
RACE ON!!!
Large Impressive Member
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
While 1/2" is probably a bit of an overstatement, I've torn down some engines that had some pretty severe wear to the thrust areas. Remember, if the wear is bad enough, it'll be not only be the thrust surfaces of the bearing but also on the matching crank surfaces. And I've often seen this with no other unusual wear on the other bearing surfaces. So if you add up both sides of the thrust bearing and their matching crank surfaces, the wear, and so the amount of end play, can actually be quite a bit. I'd bet that I've seen as much as 3/8" or damn close to it.
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Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 12,772
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From: Indianapolis IN
no way a crank can go 1/2" , must mean the camshaft, crank does not have a thrust bearing but a cam does
Hopefully your tree will start sprouting soon! :o
Large Impressive Member
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
Au contraire..... The crank has a thrust bearing, the cam only a thrust plate. In some engines, the cam doesn't even have that, such as in older small block Chevys.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
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From: Indianapolis IN
Racer
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 269
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From: Vancouver B.C.
Point is that the LT4 does have a thrust plate.
Based entirely on what he was told by his (apparently trusted) mechanic, the crank thrust bearing is shot along with his crank AND his block. (assuming the mechanic was accurate in his statement ("at LEAST 1/2" play"). Which also calls into question the entire rotating assy, of course. (rod thrusts, pistons, walls, etc, etc.)
It's ALL about just how much play you have. Before even paying to open it up, I'd insist on an accurate end play measurement. If it's UNDER 1/2" it's worth going further. If it's OVER 1/2" it's not worth paying his labor just to tell you it'll be cheaper replacing the entire short block.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 23,186
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From: San Antonio Texas
Must mean cam thrust clearance is shot. The crank wouldn't move that much because there isn't 1/2 inch of clearance on the rod journals, and I don't think you could push all 8 rods 1/2 inch back and fourth on the wrist pins of all the pistons either. Start it up and have a look at the front balancer while somebody pushes in and out on the clutch. I bet you can't even see the balancer move forward at all. If it moved at all, I'd duck and run! LT4 cranks are special ( a LOT more machining than an LT1) and I don't think you're going to push one around like that without the engine turning into "junk with a clunk"!