Russelld58 Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 Wondering if I can get advice about rod bearings. I'm hearing a slight knock on start up. Ran some Sea Foam and the noise got a but louder. Switched to 50 wt and STP and that seems to have stopped some of the noise. I hear some knocking, but its intermittent. Is it just a matter of time? Best to replace the bearings now? Any advice on a vendor for rod bearings? Thanks. Russell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry W Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 How's your oil pressure? Worn bearings, whether they be rod or main, are generally accompanied by low oil pressure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 If oil pressure and compression are good it may be a wrist pin. Could even be a valve lifter who knows Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russelld58 Posted June 10, 2016 Author Share Posted June 10, 2016 I'm about 20 at cold idle. But I've got to check that gauge. Doesn't really move as the engine heats up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 (edited) That is the 215 cid Aluminum V8 ? With 50 wt and STP a cold engine should be off scale. I suspect you have a major rebuild in your future. Edited June 10, 2016 by padgett (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C Carl Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 Good morning , Russell. 50 wt. oil will not provide adequate lubrication in an engine designed to run significantly lighter oil. STP , a VI (viscosity index) improver makes matters worse. You may now have something like 75W/55 (?) which may be ok for momentary diagnosis , but detrimental to your engine. Don't take any trips thinking you have some margin of protection. Works temporarily , only. - Carl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 Straight 50 yes but not commonly available. 20W-50 not so bad since never thicker than cold 20. Remember back in my SCCA days being told by a GM engineer that if I lost oil pressure, STP might save the engine for about 2 seconds. Also modern engines I use 10W30 (usu Mobil 1) only since passages are much smaller than back in the day. Think I still have a quart of Hardley-Davidson 60wt Pre-Lux. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C Carl Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 Yes , indeed ! But look at how I screwed up my estimated new STPed multi-grade concoction above. Should read 55W/75 , and that is obviously a guess , and would depend on how much STP was administered. Good luck , Russell , let us know what you find. - Carl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 14 hours ago, padgett said: That is the 215 cid Aluminum V8 ? With 50 wt and STP a cold engine should be off scale. I suspect you have a major rebuild in your future. The pump has a pressure relief valve and unless it's stuck it will bleed off pressure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 19 hours ago, Russelld58 said: Wondering if I can get advice about rod bearings. I'm hearing a slight knock on start up. Ran some Sea Foam and the noise got a but louder. Switched to 50 wt and STP and that seems to have stopped some of the noise. I hear some knocking, but its intermittent. Is it just a matter of time? Best to replace the bearings now? Any advice on a vendor for rod bearings? Thanks. Russell Why don't you get the engine and oil temp up to operating temp and see what your pressures are. For that engine about 10 PSI at idle and a 2,000rpm between 30 and 45PSI. If you think it's a rod bearing or a wrist pin pull a plug wire on each cylinder with the engine running one at a time. If the knock goes away on a certain cylinder you know you have found the culprit. Lifter and valve train noise especially on a overhead valve or OHC is a different noise and lighter metallic in sound. A experienced ear knows the difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 "The pump has a pressure relief valve and unless it's stuck it will bleed off pressure. " Yes but the orifice is not that big and thick cold oil should overwhelm it. Also I suspect a factory oil pressure gauge from 1962 would be 0-60. Guess I should have asked if a factory dash guage but often saw my small block in the '63 vette go off scale with a 50 psi relief and Valvoline 40wt racing oil. Why we always idled until warmed up before a race. The green sheet warned not to exceed 80 psi & the rule of thumb was 10 psi for every 1000 rpm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_padavano Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 There was no factory oil pressure gauge available for a 1962 Skylark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russelld58 Posted June 16, 2016 Author Share Posted June 16, 2016 Thanks for the help, gents. I'll be changing the rod bearings. Any thoughts on changing the oil pump while I'm at it? If so, where might I find one? Is that a part that has been remanufactured? Junk yards are far and few between here in Honolulu. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 Might look for parts for a 3.5 Rover/Morgan Plus 8/TR8 Triumph. Buick sold it to Holden who sold it to British Leyland where it was very popular even into this century. Might even find parts in Australia, Brabham used for a while. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_padavano Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 D&D Fabrications in Michigan is the go-to vendor for parts and expertise on the 215 motors. The front cover and oil pump are common with early 1960s cast iron Buick V8s and are readily available. As noted, early Rover 215 parts are also common. The later Rover motors were redesigned to use a crank-driven oil pump and those parts are different. You'll find LOTS of info at Britishv8.com 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russelld58 Posted June 16, 2016 Author Share Posted June 16, 2016 Thanks, fellas. Any suggestions on a vendor for the bearings? I saw a Falcon set for $185, but that includes main bearings. which I won't change. Also, Joe, do you happen to know the bearing size? Are they the small .10? thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_padavano Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 15 minutes ago, Russelld58 said: Thanks, fellas. Any suggestions on a vendor for the bearings? I saw a Falcon set for $185, but that includes main bearings. which I won't change. Also, Joe, do you happen to know the bearing size? Are they the small .10? thanks again. Sealed Power makes main and rod bearings for the 215. You can pretty much get them anywhere. Summit Racing sells the mains for about $50 a set and the rod bearings for about $40 a set. Clevite sells them also. Standard and oversize versions are offered. The 215 uses 2.300" mains and 2.000" rod throws. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russelld58 Posted September 12, 2016 Author Share Posted September 12, 2016 Thanks for all the advice. We got in there and found that the rod bearings were ok. Replaced them anyway. Main bearings were showing copper, so we replaced those, too. Turns out the knock was coming from the torque converter. Bolt holes were stripped so we drilled new ones and its now solid. No knock. But another issue--seems my master cylinder may be going. Are master cylinders for the 62 pretty easy to come by? I've seen some pretty wild variations on price online. Suggestions? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cahartley Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 Heavy oils aren't the cure for any engine. Depending on the oil galleys that feed hydraulic lifters they may shorten the life of an engine....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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