fxrspjc Posted August 6, 2021 Share Posted August 6, 2021 Does anyone know if the Crankshaft Bearings be replace on a 63 Riviera without removing the engine ??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avgwarhawk Posted August 6, 2021 Share Posted August 6, 2021 I would think by the time you have the transmission moved back, block lifted off the mounts it would be just about there for complete removal of the block to make installing new bearing a lot easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
telriv Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 I have done this in the vehicle MANY times. I have even installed rear main seals using these same procedures Remove the distriibuer cap & just let it hang out somewhere where it won't get damaged while your jacking up the engine. Remove the trans. dust/dirt sheild. Six bolts. Before jacking up the car remove the top motor mount bolt. ONE on each side. Remove the 2 lower motor mount bolts. one each side. Remove the 2 bolts holding the idler arm to the frame. No need to dis-connecr the center link. Leave the idler arm & center link connected. IF the wheels are hanging pull down the idler arm down & both wheels should now toe in. You may have to turn the wheel , if i remember correctly, to the right to help give more clarence for the pan to come out. Remove as many pan bolts as possible. There will be one bolt on each side that you can access when the engine gets jacked up by using a 1/4" extensions a 1/4"universal & a 1/2" socket. Get two 2x4's by about 4" long. Also get a couple paint sticks & break them to it over or under the 2x4's. These are going to hold the engine up once it's jacked in position. Next jack the engine up as far as you can. Keep an eye on the lower hose to make sure you are not going to stretch it too much. Most don't. You don't want to pull out the bottom neck out of the radiatar. Jack up the engine using the harmonic balancer. You don't have to worry about harming the balancer as it won't hurt anything because as soon as you put in the blocks of wood between the engine & block mounts you will be lowering the jack. So it should only be jacked up for about 5 minutes. If something does happen to the balancer it was N/G anyway & may have saved you $$$ after the balancer was going to fail & fly apart not knowing this was goinng to happen. Remove the last 2 pan bolts. You may have to turn the engine over to get the cranlk throws to clear the front lip of the pan. Hope this helps. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gungeey Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 If the car needs bearings, what makes you think the crank is round? And not scored or damaged? Pulling a motor isn’t that hard, and there is no time or effort saved trying to do it in place. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fxrspjc Posted August 7, 2021 Author Share Posted August 7, 2021 Thanks guys greatly appreciated... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seafoam65 Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 I would equate this procedure to taking a shower while dressed in a tuxedo, or performing brain surgery with one hand tied behind your back! Just because you CAN do something doesn't mean that you SHOULD! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
telriv Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 (edited) In all reality I would say it's up to the individual & feeling this has been done before & feeling comfortable performing this fairly simple task. As most know IF you start doing other things it can come back to you & bit you where you know where. I've done rear main seals on "Nails" many times in the past. A memorial one, when I told the guy to stick around, I've been working on his cars for years. About an hour later I went into the front office & told him I was done. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. I of course had a helper cleaning etc. Tom T. Edited August 23, 2021 by telriv (see edit history) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsgun Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 Interesting, didn't know that could be done. I'll eventually have to replace my rear seal, I'm dreading it. It went dry while it was parked for the last 14yrs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1965rivgs Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 To reduce some of the frustration doing main bearings in chassis, after you get the oil pan removed, let the car drip dry for a few days. Over the course of my career I did many in chassis rebuilds (heavy duty trucks) and when it came to the mains I would arrange to remove the oil pan late on Friday afternoon and let the oil drip from the motor over the weekend...not pleasant, not perfect, but it reduced some of the frustration. Those in chassis rebuilds helped maintain my jet black head of hair...but that`s gone now...both the jet black and most of the hair! Tom Mooney 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fxrspjc Posted August 11, 2021 Author Share Posted August 11, 2021 Thanks Tom... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 I replaced the mains on my '56 Chevy in the car years ago. The actual bearing installation went pretty quick once the pan was off. Motor Manual showed how to modify a cotter pin so that the head fit into the crank oil hole and the tail of the pin (bent flush with the crank) was used to push the old upper bearing shell out and then install the new one as the crank was turned by hand. It really comes down to: (1) how easy is it to remove the pan and gain access to the crank and (2) what other work (other than the seal) does the engine really need...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 19 minutes ago, EmTee said: (2) what other work (other than the seal) does the engine really need...? My first question. Too many times I have seen the all knowing guy blow off the problem with "All it needs is a set of bearings" or the like. Always remember, "I thought" are the two most dangerous words in the English language. Just think what happened right before the last time you heard those words uttered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zimm63 Posted August 17, 2021 Share Posted August 17, 2021 On 8/16/2021 at 10:31 AM, 60FlatTop said: My first question. Too many times I have seen the all knowing guy blow off the problem with "All it needs is a set of bearings" or the like. Always remember, "I thought" are the two most dangerous words in the English language. Just think what happened right before the last time you heard those words uttered. I always heard "watch this" were the two most dangerous words. Especially when prefaced with "hold my beer". 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted August 17, 2021 Share Posted August 17, 2021 If you listen for "I thought" you will really be surprised. And the circumstances surrounding it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seafoam65 Posted August 17, 2021 Share Posted August 17, 2021 On 8/16/2021 at 9:31 AM, 60FlatTop said: My first question. Too many times I have seen the all knowing guy blow off the problem with "All it needs is a set of bearings" or the like. Always remember, "I thought" are the two most dangerous words in the English language. Just think what happened right before the last time you heard those words uttered. The three most dangerous words in the English language are "Hold my beer"! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1965rivgs Posted August 18, 2021 Share Posted August 18, 2021 "While you`re at it".... Tom 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
protrash63 Posted August 22, 2021 Share Posted August 22, 2021 Wondering if you got em in there yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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