sudden bearing failure?

FatherDaughter73Super · Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2011 7:12 pm Post subject: sudden bearing failure?

Hoping some of you can give me a place to start looking for the cause. After completing (I thought) the resto of my 73 Super with rebuilt 1776 motor, I was driving thru town one night and started hearing an intermittent pinging sound. Had only been driving it for about a month - 3/4 on highway and the rest at residential/town speeds. Checked the oil and the level was fine but was dirty with lots of metalflake in it - Ugh. Changed the oil and wiped the sump plate of a lot of aluminum colored shavings and some little aluminum-looking chunks. Have to think this is the remains of a burnt bearing but do not understand why it happened?

Paul Windisch · Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2011 8:31 pm Post subject:

Unfortunately, it could be one of many reasons. It could be something that was done or overlooked during the overhaul, could have been a partially or fully plugged oil cooler, could be etc. Only tearing it apart will tell you exactly what's damaged, and from there you can trace back the why part.
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jdarends · Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2011 9:06 pm Post subject: Re: sudden bearing failure?

jlex · Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 6:53 am Post subject:

How long since the motor was rebuilt? How many oil changes since the rebuild?
When mine was rebuilt by the PO just before I bought it the metal flaking didn't disappear until I changed the oil a couple more times. Hopefully, its just the motor getting broken in.
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jdarends · Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 7:02 am Post subject:

JerryMCarter1 · Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 1:03 pm Post subject:

He said aluminum
Take a magnet to the chunks and tell us if it is metal
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john7 · Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 1:08 pm Post subject:

jdarends · Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 1:11 pm Post subject:

FatherDaughter73Super · Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2011 7:54 pm Post subject:

OK fellas. I put a magnet to the metal I wiped from the sump plate and it does attract. To clarify, the little chunks I referenced were few and very small - BB size or less. The aluminum-ish color made me immediately think bearings. What say you guys? Should I take it to the shop? I don't know that it is safe to drive having the pinging without risking major damage?

jlex · Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2011 5:06 am Post subject:

Are you talking pinging as in timing that's off or some kind of a knock in the engine? Does it do it all the time or just under load?
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'88 Carrera

rockerarm · Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2011 11:50 am Post subject:

I would say that one would want to perform a little more diagnostics, such as valve lash, leakdown, timing to see what is happening prior to dis assembly. This just in case the damage isn't obvious and/or to prevent an additional problem again.
Does this engine have an aftermarket cam/lifters? What oil have you been using?

JerryMCarter1 · Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2011 12:05 pm Post subject:

Quote - "Having the pinging "-
And metal chunks in the crank -
Wow might be a valve chunk -
Don’t drive it to the shop - call them first and ask -
See what they say !
I would do a compression test with the info you have provided-
How big are the chunks?

Jerry
_________________
Experience always triumphs over hearsay and You get to select which theory to believe

FatherDaughter73Super · Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2011 3:58 pm Post subject:

has a 110 cam and the chunks were actually little bits and not many. I will post pics as soon as I can. Should also mention that while at the shop they told me the fuel pump rod fell into the case when they were replacing the plastic stand not long ago. They said it would pose no danger to the engine and that I shoud be able to remove it during an oil change, but I see no way the rod can make it down to the sump plate? Makes me think it could be getting bounced around by the gears? Also, the timing was adjusted by the shop not long before the failure - They had been experimenting with differen setups to try to remove the flat spot & stalling at idle. I have a progressive carb.

Glenn73 · Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2011 4:34 pm Post subject:

I had built a 1776 for my 73SB drove 1500 miles and started hearing similar sounds and had lots of metal show in the oil it turned out to be a bad gear set on the crank search that in the forum and you can see what happened the distributor drive was also almost non existent hope you dont have the same prob im still rebuilding

FatherDaughter73Super · Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2011 4:37 pm Post subject:

Also, it makes this noise whether at idle or while driving. Sounds to be coming from the center area under the distributor and fuel pump. It is very intermittent and can go for a few minutes before hearing it again, tapping only a few times then not again for maybe a minute.

Glenn73 · Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2011 4:42 pm Post subject:

sounds just like mine did look at what happened to mine

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FatherDaughter73Super · Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2011 6:11 pm Post subject:

wow - Glenn, did you also see the same stuff I saw in the oil? Did it only make the sounds off and on? What did you end up having to do? Relace the cam gear?

FatherDaughter73Super · Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2011 6:49 pm Post subject:

and was it caused by the fuel pump rod falling in Glenn? Answer to previous question I use regular 10W-30 motor oil.

FatherDaughter73Super · Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2011 6:58 pm Post subject:

I read Glenn's post and see that it was all caused by the cam gear. Does anyone agree that a fuel pump rod can fall into the case without causing damage? I think mine is likely interfering with/damaging my cam gear and/or distributor drive gears.

Glenn73 · Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2011 7:27 pm Post subject:

your probably hearing the rod bouncing around dont run it until you get it out unfortunately that means splitting the case and asses the damage cause there is no way that thing will come out while changing the oil your mechanic is to put it bluntly an Extreme idiot


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