Connecting Rod Bearing: Testing and Inspection

Crankshaft Bearings and Connecting Rod Bearings - Gauging Plastic Inspection

Tools Required:
KM-470-B Angular Torque Gauge

Inspection - Crankshaft
1. Coat the crankshaft bearings with engine oil.
2. Install the upper crankshaft bearings into the engine block crankshaft journals.
3. Install the lower crankshaft bearings into the crankshaft bearing caps.
4. Install the crankshaft.
5. Inspect the crankshaft end play with the crankshaft bearings installed.





6. Check for permissible crankshaft end play.





7. With the crankshaft mounted on the front and rear crankshaft bearings, check the middle crankshaft journal for permissible out-of-round (runout).
8. Inspect all of the crankshaft bearing clearances using a commercially available plastic gauging (ductile plastic threads).





9. Cut the plastic gauging threads to the length of the bearing width. Lay them axially between the crankshaft journals and the crankshaft bearings.
10. Install the crankshaft bearing caps.





11. Install the crankshaft bearing cap bolts.
Tighten: Tighten the crankshaft bearing cap bolts to 50 Nm (37 ft. lbs.). Using the angular torque gauge KM-470-B, tighten the crankshaft bearing cap bolts another 45° plus 15°.
12. Remove the crankshaft bearing caps.
13. Measure the width of the flattened plastic thread of the plastic gauging using a ruler. (Plastic gauging is available for different tolerance ranges.)





14. Inspect the bearing clearances for permissible tolerance ranges.

Inspection - Connecting Rods
1. Coat the connecting rod bearings with engine oil.
2. Install the upper connecting rod bearings into the connecting rod journals.
3. Install the lower connecting rod bearings into the connecting rod bearing caps.
4. Inspect all of the connecting rod bearing clearances using a commercially available plastic gauging (ductile plastic threads).





5. Cut the plastic gauging threads to the length of the bearing width. Lay them axially between the connecting rod journals and the connecting rod bearings.
6. Install the connecting rod bearing caps.





7. Install the connecting rod bearing cap bolts.
Tighten: Tighten the connecting rod bearing cap bolts to 35 Nm (26 ft. lbs.). Using the angular torque gauge KM-470-B, tighten the connecting rod bearing cap bolts another 45° plus 15°.
8. Remove the connecting rod bearing caps.
9. Measure the width of the flattened plastic thread of the plastic gauging using a ruler. (Plastic gauging is available for different tolerance ranges.)





10. Inspect the bearing clearance for permissible tolerance ranges.