ACL Race Bearings (flip a coin)

[boost_boy]

Just an FYI for you guys/girls that are wanting to refreshen your engines and think that buying expensive components is the way to go, well not always. I don't think anyone needs an introduction to ACL and their products, but I've ordered two sets of ACL race rod and mains and have already destroyed a complete set of rods and mains in less than 10 minutes.

When I installed the bearings into the engine and installed the caps, I noticed that my normally functioning engine with a freshly polished crank was extremely hard to rotate, but I figured it was just because of the newly installed parts (not normal for me, but I accepted it). I then reassembled my motor adding a new oil pump, rings, NISMO H/G, ARP studs, a different head using upgraded heay duty valve springs, the swapping of my reground cams to my JUN cams and the addition of a GT35R (this car has seen many turbos in the last two months). Once installed into the car, the damn thing rotated slowly while starting, but it did crank. When I would try to let it idle, it would just shut down hard as if something was binding.

I would experiment with for a few more minutes until the starter started smoking. Even though premature, I took a compression test to see how the engine was sealing and the compression yielded an equal 150psi across the board, but I knew I had to pull the engine back out of the car, so I started tearing it apart. Once I got it back out and opened the bottom end, I discovered one of the inserts to my #1 rod bearing took a beat down and the other bearings were getting some work as well. So I removed the ACL inserts, repair the scarring of my #1 journal, repolished the crank, re-installed everything using bearings that are not on the normal radar and the engine rotated freely with just my hand turning the crank's nose.

Hypothesis: Those ACL bearings claimed to be standard, but they didn't fit like standard bearings. I measured the mains and they were on point with the original bearings that were removed from the motor which had almost no wear, but I didn't measure the rods, even though all of them wasn't screwed-up.

I was hard-headed and went against my own rules which resulted in me creating extra work for myself. Remember, if it doesn 't feel normal, something is definitely abnormal. Car runs sweet now with only 15 miles on the engine and it has already seen 18psi of boost. Happy boosting ..........

Dee

P.S. Here's some pics of the carnage: The main bearing on the right is the original bearing from my motor. As you guys can see it's condition is pristine, but the ACL mains aren't so bad either; and keep in mind these things may have been in the car for only a few minutes.

These were showing signs of something not being happy between the crank and the bearings. Main clearances were checked, crank was mic'd and the clearances showed signs of promise, but this I won't try to explain.

These are your rod bearings in order from left to right cyl #1-4. AS I stated before, cylinder one was under stress. And no I didn't over-tighten the bearing caps. Before one starts commenting on their current condition, keep in mind that they were already discarded after my discovery, so they have extra scratches on them. And that extra streak of light on all the bearings is the wonderful 80 degree sun that I was enjoying .

This all of the bearings together. I pulled these things out of my garbage to provide pics, so please don't give me any smack. And lastly Ryan, I do not have a polaroid nor have I ever owned one , but I do have a lot of cassette tapes in my garage if interested .

Modified by boost_boy at 8:15 PM 3/8/2010
Modified by boost_boy at 7:35 PM 3/18/2010

[aaronscomp]

i just put acl race bearings in my ca18det but it spins really freely and nice i could turn it by grabbing the crank snout by hand also hopefully they don't crap out on me though

[ca18detgabby]

no pictures? this thread does not deliver..........

good read though, interesting. what would you w/ then? just buy OEM? clevite? King?

[float_6969]

I'm not sure Dee knows what a digital camera is. He's still trying to put the Polaroids in the CD tray to get his pics in the computer.

[blownhemi]

From zerothread?id=477474Post #5, is there some truth to it after all?

(...) Steer clear of ACL race bearings. Have seen many de laminate over here. Go with Kings or NDC bearings and you'll never have to worry about it. ACL ain't what it used to be. They have been in allot of financial trouble for quite a while and corners are cut to save on costs. We have seen bucket loads of issues with their bearings and forged pistons in Aussie.

[bentvalves]

also hearing of bearing delamination problems and other quality control issues as of late from our homeboys across the pond - sxoc.com-

[r34 gtr]

Need I mention:

Clevite 77 engine bearings are the official engine bearings of the NHRA, and if it's good enough for John Force then by GOD it is damn well good enough for you and I.

John Force built this country BRICK by BRICK, with his BARE HANDS. You think about that next time you go buying garbage foreign engine parts.

Edit: because I am a drunken idiot.
Modified by r34 gtr at 7:30 PM 3/8/2010

[ca18detgabby]

Need I mention:

Clevite 77 engine bearings are the official engine bearings of NASCAR, and if it's good enough for John Force then by GOD it is damn well good enough for you and I.

John Force built this country BRICK by BRICK, with his BARE HANDS. You think about that next time you go buying garbage foreign engine parts.

correct me if Im wrong, but wasnt your CA foreign engine parts?

just sayin

[cdkilla]

Disappointed sigh

Just looked at my bearings lying next to my computer waiting to be installed in my freshly polished crank and realized they're ACL's...

I'm not one who likes to gamble...Any more news on the ACL situation?

[boost_boy]

Disappointed sigh

Just looked at my bearings lying next to my computer waiting to be installed in my freshly polished crank and realized they're ACL's...

I'm not one who likes to gamble...Any more news on the ACL situation?

Pics Posted. Don't be too disappointed, man! Maybe it was just something freaky that's supoosed to happen to me. I don't care about correcting an issue, but I hate wasting money and time on something that I know I had done by the books. As stated in my initial post, I broke my own rule by installing this engine when there was something clearly wrong ( Dee slaps his clone).

Dee

[mydato]

Well coming from the motor trade and the country of origin I'd never ever use ACL bearings. They have a habit of delaminating and spinning. ACL have been in allot of financial trouble in the last few years and will be cutting corners. Personally for the CA18 I use NDC race bearings. NDC are the OEM for Nissan's bearings. Kings are also very good IMO. It is well known over here to steer clear of most ACL stuff. There gasket kits seem fine, but that’s about it.

[float_6969]

Clevite 77's in my motor. 30K miles on it w/o any problems. 15K miles of that is abuse, and that's not an exaggeration.

[blownhemi]

Have you used ACL Race bearings before this, with success?

[dash]

tight spinning bottom end should immediately set of an alarm, that somethin is definitely wrongSurprised to see a 'veteran' like yourself continue on to even try and run that motor Any brand bearings would die a quick death under those circumstances.Perhaps ACL labeled them wrong ?

[boost_boy]

Have you used ACL Race bearings before this, with success?

I think I may have, but not the race bearing crap. I've always use Clevites or OEMs or even topline brand to name a few, but I've never experienced this before. I got what I deserve and now I'm passing the lesson on to you guys. The engine never spun freely when there was no rods attached to the crank, but me being me and always being busy didn't help. I put the engine together and then realized I forgot to address the tight-fitting crank. I threw it in the car and the engine would just shut down when it got close to idle. Re-pulled the engine, cracked the oil pan, removed the rear main seal housing, removed the oil pump, removed the rod caps, removed the main caps, and what a mess. Cleaned the crank, adressed the roghness on the #1 journal, measured the journals again, polished the crank again, installed new bearings, reassembled, engine spun freely, threw engine back into the car and now the engine has over 300 miles on it with no problem and no oil leaks. [Dee slaps self again ].

Dee

[Valvebounce]

This reinforces for me the need to use plastiguage when assembling an engine. Even when the crank is known to have be fine, and the bearings are brand new. (I've sometimes not bothered under such circumstances in the past)

[SullivanRacing06]

have had acl race bearings in my rb26 for over 2 years now. never had a oil pressure issue, never had any signs of problems.

almost looks like installer error like there was something in between the bearing and the block/main cap.

did you plasti gauge to check the tolerances between the crank n bearings

[boost_boy]

have had acl race bearings in my rb26 for over 2 years now. never had a oil pressure issue, never had any signs of problems.

almost looks like installer error like there was something in between the bearing and the block/main cap.

did you plasti gauge to check the tolerances between the crank n bearings

Might work for you, but didn't do so hot for me. There was definitely nothing between the block/main cap and bearings but oil. I'm building CA18 #57 and this is the first time I've seen this one. As stated before, no plasti-gauge because I trusted in the workmanship of the bearings. My crank was just fine before I pulled it and was polished before it went back in. No backwards installation of main bearing caps, rod caps bearings, or whatever. Seems almost like the case of an over-sized bearing due to the fact that the thing was too tight to begin with; although the bearings has STD stamped on them. I've explained this in the original narration, so there's no need to explain anymore. Shyt happens ! We learn and move on. After re-polishing the crank, I installed the new cheaper bearings and "voila" it spins like it supposed to. Engine runs perfectly with just over 550 miles on it, so again, shyt happens.

Dee
Modified by boost_boy at 7:32 PM 3/18/2010

[BACARDI_DWB]

I have seen too many times where cam specs were supposed to be dead on, but when i degreed the cam just to check it the cam they gave me was WAY off. I never trust the workmanship of someone else unless I see it done and mic'd out right there in front of me. just the way I do business