Engine Bearings, who makes custom ones.......

[TC]

You would have though a guy with tons of engine building experience would have though of this first.
If this is where your expertise lays.

I have experience with engines that have stock type specs, I don't have experience with Nascar engines..........And I did think of it first and went to Loper's and asked if they could get the bearings before I even bought the crank......They said they could get them, but I think they were thinking of the Honda bearings and not the IRL bearings........

[JeffMcKC]

Just a while your at it deal the rods do they center off the pistons wrist pins with a thin bearing, or on the Rod large end? This will make a difference in bearings and pistons and pins and spacers?

[OldMachinist]

Don't quite know what you are asking. Rods for this engine should be full floating so after they are resized on the big end, install new pin bushings and bore to pin size on a pin boring machine. This machine holds the big end bore so the pin end is bored square and to the correct center to center distance. Of course some shops don't have a pin boring machine so just hone the pin bushing. That's the difference between precision and just good enough to work.

[TC]

Here's a shot of what the rods look like.....

[JeffMcKC]

You need to measure how wide the bottom of the rod is, its not uncommon on "Upscale" engines to narrow the bearing side of the rod, and then center it on the crank where they want to run it by spacing the rod at wrist pin on the piston.

[TC]

You need to measure how wide the bottom of the rod is, its not uncommon on "Upscale" engines to narrow the bearing side of the rod, and then center it on the crank where they want to run it by spacing the rod at wrist pin on the piston.

Unless they re-shotpeened the rods after they narrowed them, I would have to say they didn't do what your saying..........

[JeffMcKC]

Measure them and know, TC man I am trying to help you here. I just past on some Pankls, Notice the difference in Widths on the big end.......

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NASCAR-PANKL...item5642480ee6

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-NASCAR-P...item5ad8be23ff

[OldMachinist]

I notice from the picture of your rods that the pin is pressure fed. Be sure to drill a hole in the upper shell where the hole is if you use a bearing without the hole already drilled.

[TC]

I notice from the picture of your rods that the pin is pressure fed. Be sure to drill a hole in the upper shell where the hole is if you use a bearing without the hole already drilled.

Do noted.....

And Jeff I know, I'll have to bust out the calipers and see what's going on.......

[Barry_R]

Start up costs probably in the 500-800 thousand range. Pretty simple cutting & turning machines but larger challenge is dimensional geometry. Good CNC might work very, very well for geometry at low volumes. Plating chemistry and stuff might be harder than the finish machining. Takes a lot of time to develop controls and R&D for proper metallurgy and accuracy. Babbitt is peanut butter and only used in fuel engines - that's the easy one. The multi-layer stuff is harder to get right - a sintered metal witch's brew. Could have some issues with environmentals - lead is a key component. Could speed this learning curve up dramatically if we can find/hire laid off key F-M employees from the closed Greenville/St. Johns plants. Their jobs went to Mexico - I bet some of them would be "glad" to help out...

If anybody seriously wanted to support this I'm game - just do not have the personal cash to light it up. Business model is well established and proven - look at Total Seal.

[TC]

Well I sent an Email to Clevite and the response was well, bad and good........Basically they do not make the CB1798H in a .010 undersize, so they said to not give up and contact some of the other Bearing Manufacturers out there...... It was that or I could put an order in for 1000 bearings which would have a 12-16 week turn around, but man how much do you think that would cost??............

So who are the other bearing manufacturers that I could try??

[JeffMcKC]

PM Jay (Warpspeed) on here, he works in Hedricks engine shop, Yeah that Hendricks, he should be able to help you out as to where to buy what you need.

[Orange65]

You could always hard chrome the crank back up to stock size! Might be the least expensive way...

[TC]

You could always hard chrome the crank back up to stock size! Might be the least expensive way...

Never even thought of that.... I'll definitely keep that in mind!!!.....

[TC]

PM Jay (Warpspeed) on here, he works in Hedricks engine shop, Yeah that Hendricks, he should be able to help you out as to where to buy what you need.

Jeff you sure you got the name right, I PM'd Warpspeed, but it wasn't Jay..........You thinking YB??