Changing of connection rod bearings

[Ivan141]

Your crank has bearings where it runs in the engine block itself, and then there are the smaller bearings where the crankshaft connects to the connecting rods, which are in turn connected to the pistons.

All bearings on the crankshaft are of the 2 layer bearing shell type..soft metal bearings. They are basically a hard outside metal shell with very soft metal lining on the inside. When this soft metal lining is scratched or when there is a patch worn into it the bearing is faulty. The soft metal coating is so soft you can even wipe it off with a tissue. Just so people around here know that there is no such thing as "wearing in" the bearings in the engine, cause every wear on this type of bearing is a bad thing.

Anyway, back on subject, the conrod bearings are the weakest spot of most engine's, along with the conrod bolts and the conrods themselves. The conrods & bearings get the biggest loads in the engine, which is moslty due to inertia at TDC on exhaust stroke, you can then imagine that the forces of inertia are biggest at high rpm's.

Anyway: working from underneath the engine is maybe possible if you suspend the engine and then take off the crossmember, but if your going through that trouble, might as well take the entire engine out..

My advice to you: get a working 4age and swap it in, or go crazy on your original engine..while it's out you can renew all you want. Just remember NOT to re-use the conrod bolts.