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Thread: Main bearings question

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    Bodger

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    Main bearings question

    Can the main bearing caps be tightened/loosened with the engine still in place? On a mk2 escort 1600 xflow or does the whole engine need to be taken out

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    Main bearings question

    You can't get sump off in place to do anything in there.


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    Racer Decade Plus User wildo105e's Avatar

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    Re: Main bearings question

    to be truthful it is probably easier to take the engine out than struggle trying to do it insitu. The gearbox will have to come out to get the crank out. If you don't have an engine hoist remove the cross member and lower the engine onto the ground.
    Last edited by wildo105e; 20-06-2018 at 19:53.

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    Re: Main bearings question

    Maybe he just wants to re shell it without removing the crank. It was a popular thing with HGV's 30 yrs ago. I think the front timing cover and adjuster might have to be removed to get number 1 main cap off. It's much easier to lift the engine out as suggested as the x flow is only a small lump.

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    Re: Main bearings question

    Ive just rebuilt the engine but its cranking very slowly even with a fully charged battery...im getting fuel coning through and a spark but it just wont start....ive tried jumping it from another car but its still the same...if i take out the plugs it spins better...i think ive over tightened the main bearing caps and was wanting to loosen and retorque them in situ...i have a hoist....is it possible to take the engibe weight on the hoist and drop the x member in order to do this?

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    Racer Decade Plus User wildo105e's Avatar

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    Re: Main bearings question

    it will spin better without the plugs as there is no compression. You could retorque them from under tha car but i am not so sure that is you issue.

    check the timing is correct as too advanced will make starting difficult (i think) seemed on my Lotus twin cam. I also years ago got main caps mixed up but this locked the engine solid.

    Also a newly built engine is tight usually on the piston rings. When you start it for the first time you may get a squealing noise from it as the rings quickly get going.
    Last edited by wildo105e; 21-06-2018 at 13:04.

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    Re: Main bearings question

    How do i set the timing without running it?...ive got an actuaspark leccy ignition....when sitting at tdc the rotor points towards plug number one but not sure where to position it to get correct timing

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    Racer Decade Plus User wildo105e's Avatar

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    Re: Main bearings question

    To get mine started with an Aldon ignitor i just kept twisting the dissy (from initial timing up) until it kicked into life a bit of trial an error. The timing should be about 10 degs BTDC though not at actual TDC if that helps. fom memory you have a TDC mark then 8 and 10 deg markers. So they are the ones to aim for.

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    World Champion Decade Plus User alladdin's Avatar

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    Main bearings question

    Set to 8 deg btdc. On firing stroke. Rota at no1.
    Put a plug in no1 lead with threads earthed.
    Turn dizzy opposite way to rota goes until it sparks on plug. You may need to go forward first then back till it sparks.
    That's your rough start.


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    Re: Main bearings question

    Quote Originally Posted by Mk2esccy View Post
    ..i think ive over tightened the main bearing caps and was wanting to loosen and retorque them in situ...?
    that will NOT make it tight to turn over

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    Re: Main bearings question

    Something happened....i got a loud bang or backfire but then zilch....i wonder if im not setting the timing right....

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    Re: Main bearings question

    Quote Originally Posted by Mk2esccy View Post
    Something happened....i got a loud bang or backfire but then zilch....i wonder if im not setting the timing right....
    probably, also have you got the firing order correct its an unusual 1243

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    Re: Main bearings question

    I had all the plug leads numbered so i knew where they went but ill look at the haynes manual and try again

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    Re: Main bearings question

    need to start with a few basica like putting the engine at TDC with no1 on the firing stroke and checking teh rotor arm actually points to number one HT lead

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    Re: Main bearings question

    Ive got the engine pulley marks sitting bang on tdc ...the first 2 valves are closed...when i turn the crank a bit the second valve starts to open...does this mean its on its firing stroke....ive also noticed that the valves dont rock at tdc like it says in the manual so im assuming these are too tight....is this correct

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    Re: Main bearings question

    sounds like you have it at tdc no4 to fire.

    if you have the engine at tdc, you should have tappet clearance on either the front two or rear two rockers, the cylinder which has the clearance is on its firing stroke.

    if you dont have clearance on any then yes the tappets must be too tight.

    have you not checked and adjusted the valve clearances then? if you have had the engine apart they need doing
    Last edited by Graham; 21-06-2018 at 19:33.

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    Re: Main bearings question

    Yes i did do the tappets first time but ive taken the rocker back off to redo them

    You're right that when at tdc the 2 valves at the front of the engine are tight but on the 4th one they rock...is this normal or have i got this mixed up ......sorry for all the hassle

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    Re: Main bearings question

    Right ive been a bit of a twat here and not had tdc on cylinder 1(front of engine)...now ill try resetting the timing and see what happens

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    Re: Main bearings question

    Quote Originally Posted by Mk2esccy View Post

    You're right that when at tdc the 2 valves at the front of the engine are tight but on the 4th one they rock...is this normal or have i got this mixed up ......sorry for all the hassle
    depends on the cam position, at tdc either no1 or 4 could be on firing stroke which is why you need to check to see which valves have clearance, had you turned the crank another revolution teh clearance would of been on the front not the rear of engine

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    Re: Main bearings question

    Quote Originally Posted by Graham View Post
    that will NOT make it tight to turn over
    Just make sure you have the right size bearings fitted.

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    Re: Main bearings question

    Quote Originally Posted by Miniliteman View Post
    Just make sure you have the right size bearings fitted.
    get the size wrong one way it will be loose and have no oil pressure when running, the other you wouldnt be able to turn it over even using a 6 ft scaffold pole,

    whether the caps are the right way round and in the right places could be another matter

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    Re: Main bearings question

    Hi..bearings ect are all good and rings new and correct... having looked through old threads on here im thinking it could be electrical .. im going to check over the connections at the starter and check from there

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    Re: Main bearings question

    .
    Last edited by Mk2esccy; 22-06-2018 at 09:50. Reason: Duplicate

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    Re: Main bearings question

    You say it popped when trying to start. Could you not just have the timing 180 deg out? Could be worth just moving the plug leads round 2 places each and trying before looking for an issue thats not there.

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    Re: Main bearings question

    I left the battery on charge since yesterday...popped it in and 3 slow cranks the batterys dead..if i leave it 5 mins it will crank again slowly ... odd thing I've noticed is that round the negative battery terminal small bits of lead thats came off the battery post start jumping when i try and crank

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    Re: Main bearings question

    Ive also noticed that when i crank it i can hear a hiss coming from the engine

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    Re: Main bearings question

    Quote Originally Posted by Mk2esccy View Post
    I left the battery on charge since yesterday...popped it in and 3 slow cranks the batterys dead..if i leave it 5 mins it will crank again slowly ... odd thing I've noticed is that round the negative battery terminal small bits of lead thats came off the battery post start jumping when i try and crank
    that could be either a knackered battery or connection issues, ive got a thread on volt drop which should help you resolve connection faults

    http://www.turbosport.co.uk/showthread.php?t=175400

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    Re: Main bearings question

    I hazard a guess you've got a bat flattery - its fubar'd, shuffled off this moral coil to meet the choir invisible (c Monty Python). Any good fully charged battery should spin even a bad starting engine for a minute and after a 5 minute recovery do it again.
    Good, charged battery will show 13v straight off the charger and 12.7v ready to work. A starter will draw a lot of amps so causing the battery voltage to dip down to maybe 10v this stresses the ign system so giving weaker sparks hence why some coils are designed to work at 9v normally and at whatever the battery gives when under load. If your battery is, say, only having 12.0v charged its capacity is reduced so could be dipping below 9v on cranking = no sparks or erratic ones that tend to occur as you stop cranking cos the coil gets a massive bolt of juice!

    Could be a duff connection but its only battery - solenoid - starter motor .............. if they ain't tight - shame on you!

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    Re: Main bearings question

    Im going to change the battery wires and terminals and see what happens..thing is though i took the battery out the wifes car and tried that but it was still slow to crank and her batterys good

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    Re: Main bearings question

    Quote Originally Posted by Mk2esccy View Post
    Im going to change the battery wires and terminals and see what happens..thing is though i took the battery out the wifes car and tried that but it was still slow to crank and her batterys good
    doesnt mean anything much, if your wifes car is say a 1 litre saxo with a reduction geared starter its battery may well start that ok, but not a freshly built presumably high compression mk2 lump using an old non geared starter.

    randomly changing stuff isnt likely to get you very far.

    why dont you start with a few basics? like does it turn over ok if you put a spanner on the crank?

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    Re: Main bearings question

    Quote Originally Posted by Mk2esccy View Post
    I left the battery on charge since yesterday...popped it in and 3 slow cranks the batterys dead..if i leave it 5 mins it will crank again slowly ... odd thing I've noticed is that round the negative battery terminal small bits of lead thats came off the battery post start jumping when i try and crank
    You can charge the battery until the cows come home but if it's knackered or is n't the correct amp hours you are wasting your time. Jump starting won't help you much either especially if the starters lazy.

    Sometimes a quick tow up the road is all that's needed to start a new engine proving everything is set up correctly in the first place.

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    Re: Main bearings question

    I got the volt tester out today and done grahams test....the charged battery showed 13.4....the positive wire from the battery to starter gave me a reading of 0.5 but the negative battery to starter gave me as reading of 7.5 dropping to 6.5....would i be right in saying that its the negative connection thats the problem...the car fired for a millisecond

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    Re: Main bearings question

    yes you have a really bad earth connection there

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    Re: Main bearings question

    Cheers graham...i think the problems related to the new round post battery terminal i fitted...the screws that crimp in the wires spin and don't hold it tight enough...i got it to run for a few minutes though so that's a start..

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    Racer Decade Plus User wildo105e's Avatar

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    Re: Main bearings question

    Quote Originally Posted by Mk2esccy View Post
    i got it to run for a few minutes though so that's a start..
    earthing is earthing


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