Chevrolet 14088526 Engine Crankshaft

Using solvent clean the crankshaft after which you should dry it, clean the interior of the oil holes with a stiff brush and flush with solvent. Look for misalignment spread, marks, pits and crack at the crank pin and the connecting rod big end; look for other cracks and damages on the rest of the crankshaft. The outside diameter of the main as well as the connecting rod journals should be gauged using a micrometer which should normally be of a suitable size; In the course of making these measurements, ensure that you take several measurements along the length of the journals in order to establish if there is any form of taper or conditions whereby the journals are out-of-round as compared to the specifications. Taking measurements at different positions around the circumference of the journal find whether the journal is worn to become out of round and, taking measurements from both ends find out whether the journal is tapering near the crank throw. If the crankshaft journals are off in terms of taper, out of round or worn beyond the above specified limit, s, the crankshaft will require regrounding from a reputable automotive machine shop depending on the following conditions;; The use of undersize bearing inserts if any reconditioned. If the bearing inserts and journals are in good order one is not encouraged to reuse the bearings without checking the oil clearances.

Before removing the crankshaft, check the endplay by mounting a dial indicator with the stem aligned with the crankshaft and touching one of the crank throws. Push the crankshaft to the rear and zero the dial indicator, then pry the crankshaft to the front and check the reading; the distance moved indicates the endplay. If it exceeds specifications, inspect the thrust surfaces for wear, and if no wear is found, new main bearings may resolve the issue. If a dial indicator is unavailable, use feeler gauges by prying the crankshaft to the front and slipping the gauges between the crankshaft and the thrust main bearing to measure clearance. Loosen the main bearing cap bolts a quarter turn at a time until they can be removed by hand, ensuring the caps are marked for their locations, typically numbered from front to rear. If unmarked, use stamping dies or a center punch to label them. Gently tap the caps with a soft-faced hammer to separate them from the engine block, using the bolts as levers if necessary, and avoid dropping the bearing insert. For models with a one-piece seal retainer, remove the retainer and seal. Carefully lift the crankshaft out of the engine, ideally with assistance due to its weight, and with the bearing inserts in place, return the caps to their respective locations on the engine block and tighten the bolts finger tight.

The main bearing caps should be checked to see if they're marked to indicate their locations. They should be numbered consecutively from the front of the engine to the rear. If they aren't marked, they should be marked with number stamping dies or a center punch.

If the old bearing inserts are still in place, remove them from both the block and the main bearing caps.