Motor teardown, how bad is this? pics inside

[Warped161]

So im tearing down my ka and im expecting some bearing damage but i've done this before so im not sure just how messed up these bearings are. I'm getting the crank turned and bearings replaced i just want to know how bad they are, and if anybody has a suggestion as how to remove the part holding the crank in, i unbolted it bit it just wont budge. Oh and a scuffed piston as well

[Shabbernigdo]

from some of the stuff ive seen they dont look that bad but they definatly look worn.

[Warped161]

This is a motor with only 1500 miles on it.
Modified by Warped161 at 11:50 PM 4/8/2009

[the converted]

That's nothing and will come right out with a polish. What's the deal with the valve that's open? That's what would concern me the most. To get the girdle out, I usually tap it with a plastic hammer.

[Warped161]

^^^cam is still in.

[the converted]

Sorry I'm used to having to pull cams to get the head off so I didn't think of that.

[Warped161]

So just hit it with a deadblow? i mean i tried some shots with a regular hammer and it wouldn't budge. even the piston bearing caps wouldn't come out till the piston was out.

[phlebmaster]

^^^cam is still in.

Those bearings look like normal wear and tear to me.

[the converted]

Yeah it will take a few good smacks back and forth to come out.

[liquid_cool]

first things first bro...to me..it seem'd you have un-even wear on the bearings..some are only worn on one side..that suggest to me a large amount of stretch from the rod bolts under load..just my opion...i had to conferm the next thing i saw by dragging my old pistons out of a junk box...to me..they look to smooth on the sides..like the oil retaining grooves are worn away..can you conferm this for me and get back to me, the pic is limited with the flash....on the oem pistons is some small lines that run horizontaly to the top of the piston..they are minute..but have a use...one more thing you can look at....you need a caliper or slide style meshuring devise...you need to meshure around your cams where the bearings seat to see if there true round and not oval'd out...get back to me on what ya find....ps..i break the gerdle loose with a hammer and large flat screwdriver..workes great...after you get her off...snap some shots of the bearings and the crank and post em up for us to look at.

[Warped161]

no prob i can do that tomorrow and i have a micrometer to measure it with. i would post better pics but photobucket doesn't support the original file size. The fine lines are there but the pistons are scuffed on the sides, this is not an old motor. i purchased it as a fresh rebuild from a company in Washington then the headgasket blew after about 1500 miles. mechanic said the timing was off from the install. (i didn't do it) but since i don't trust any local shops now im undertaking the rebuild myself.

[480sx]

Your motors in fine shape. The only thing i see is the white valves indicating that you ran it for a little bit with a blown HG that was leaking coolant into the combustion chambers. Or possibly running lean.

Might have had some trash in your motor when you built it that caused the piston scaring, but thats small stuff, the motors fine.

[Warped161]

Ok new pics, got the girdle out. The fine rings are on the pistons, like i said this motor has only 1500 miles on it. i didn't do the original rebuild i purchased it from a engine shop.Carriage bearings.Piston bearing

[the converted]

Honestly the bearings look fine. They shine up as you run them and wear off the flat coating. I would be worried if I saw brass coming through. Pistons look like the bores may have been a little off.

What was your oil change schedule after you got it in and why did you take this engine apart?

[Warped161]

Head gasket blew after 1500 miles from installing the motor, mechanic said that the timing was set wrong and he found metal in the oil which most likely meant a spun bearing. tired of getting the run around i decided to work on the motor myself as well as do a lot of other things to the car. well i finally got to tearing down the engine and I'm having a hard time finding anything wrong!! i don't really know what I'm looking for and i wish there was someone local who could help me.

[rootS13]

How much did you pay for it, including shipping?

[the converted]

Again, how many times did you change the oil and at what mileage? There is always junk in a rebuilt engine that means you need to change it quite a bit at first, so you might not need to worry about it. If you haven't changed the oil that could also explain the scuffing on the pistons. Still sucks about the head gasket though.

[Warped161]

changed it at 500 and again when the head gasket went.

[480sx]

I change the oil 5 times before i hit 100 miles, for good reason. Once after first start and idle up to nominal oil temps. Shut down car, let it cool down completely. Once after the first break in run, same process, let the engine cool down completely after every break in run. Then again after the 5th break in run. Then at 50 miles, then at 100.

The damage to your pistons is one of two things. Most likely, its just crap that was in your motor that slung up into the bores causing the scuffing. Or it was from overheated pistons.

Regardless, your block is fine and you can put it back together and run it.

[liquid_cool]

4th pic down..is that a crack on that bearing?..and the cylinder that the scarred piston came out of..have you checked that for roundness with a T-style telescopic meshuring insterment?....i would allso sugest plastiguage to check your bearing firments...dont just slap her back together..sumpin just seems odd to me...come to think of it...did you use a heavy viscus prelube/builders lube before ya slapped it together..sumpin like torco cam lube?

[Warped161]

the bearing isnt cracked its just the way the light was hitting it. I have no idea what was used when it was built i purchased it as a long block. i dont have a telescoping thingamajig and all the pistons seem to have some marks on the side. roots13 i think it was like 1250 with shipping but i dont remember the company and after i searched today they may have gone under. i've had this car off the road since the motor started giving me trouble, that was like 3 years ago and i just recently had the time and money to try and fix it. At this point im going to buy a Telescoping Bore Gauge and check the cylinders for out of round. if all is well i'll send the crank out to be balanced and have bearings matched. I cant find anything else wrong at this point and will just put it all back together and give a little prayer.
Modified by Warped161 at 9:16 AM 4/11/2009

[liquid_cool]

sorry bout my lack of names for tool's and my horrible spelling..but after 15 hour days at work..im brain dead..lol..anyways...sending the crank out os a good idea..in order for them to match the bearings properly they will need the block..and since its gona be there with them anyways..have em hot tank it to clean out all the oil galley's and water jacket...they can only balance things out by having possetion of all the components..rods..pistons and crack with block...hope this helps a bit man..good luck and keep us posted...

p.s. a good machine shop will let ya know if sumpin is funky with the block bro.