I can give you the longer version of you'd like. But here's the short.

Jack front of vehicle up until axle droops and wheels are clear of the ground. On stock vehicles, disconnecting the sway bar and the shocks will allow the axle to drop far enough to remove the oil pan.

Curse the previous owner for jamming a metric/standard mix of bolts in the oil pan, stripping many of the threads.

Remove one crank and rod bearing at a time, checking each one for it's size. (it's stamped on it. .10, .20, etc. etc.) You will want the same size bearings to go back in. If you change bearing sizes without having the journals turned, you're toast.

Inspect your journals, if they don't look like they have been 'scoured' or wrecked, you can feel fairly good about just replacing the bearings. Be advised, using a mic and measuring the journals is the way to go. BUT, if you're like me, you don't have a mic. I used plastigauge to see if my tolerances were close. They were.

I replaced the bearings using assembly lube, torqued to spec, reassembled, said a small prayer, and started it up. I went from 0 psi at 'hot idle', to 15 psi. My journals looked great. I attribute the wear to the PO allowing a cracked head to contaminate the oil and he ignored the problem for awhile.

Just a side note, my 2000 sport with 108,000 miles had 5 bad lifters, and 7 that were marginal. I replaced them without replacing the cam and I have fantastic lubrication now.

When I pulled my bearings, I had wear that didn't LOOK to be all that bad, but it was just outside of tolerance, and the oil pressure gauge has the final word.

All of my work was with the engine in place. It would be ALOT easier on an engine stand, and if I ever do it again, I will pull the engine and replace the cam and all.

Best of luck. PM me with any questions.

GET THE FSM! It really helps. SO does this forum! The guys on here are amazing.

 

I was suggesting it so you could post as an actual write up to help others!

If it hasn't already been done.

 

what are the chances of the cam bearings being shot? also i didnt test drive with the manual gauge.

would lowish oil pressure cause the over heating?

 

It would cause more heat to come from the motor. Depending on how low, yes it could.

 

should i pull the pan off and check the mains and rods, or just go on and get a new napa engine

 

Main and rod bearings are more likely to go first, and oil pressure depends alot on their condition. Cam bearings (in my experience) don't go so fast, and they don't effect pressure as much.

Before you dropped serious money for a new engine, I'd do an inspection. If your journals look good, go for the bearing swap.

Take some pics of a bearing after you've removed it. We can all have a look.

Tip for removing the top half of the bearings. I took a plastic bondo applicator/scraper/flat plastic thing, and trimmed it to the width of the bearing. I could then shove the plastic 'tool' up to slide the upper half of the bearing out.

Hold off on that engine purchase for now.

If you would pull the engine, do you have time to rebuild yours? Have a local shop turn the crank, polish your cam, home your cylinder walls. They could tell you exactly what bearings need to go in. You could have a perfectly good engine, w/o the napa price.

 

dont really have the time to have mine sent off, i still live with the parents. most time i will have will be a weekend. itll be a week before i get started back with tearing the pan off, gotta pull the trans too and put a new seal in it.

thank you for youre tips

 

is it making any funny noises yet...or just running hot still?

 

no noises being made, but i dont let it drop off, i keep it idled up

 

there are lot betterr places to buy a motor than napa ,ATK isd agood rebuilder id would def look around before buying if you go thi direction

 

How does thicker oil, like the 15w-40 mentioned before, speed up the destruction process of a motor like whats being talked about? I understand that thicker oil isnt the best idea for a newer, low mileage, tight tolerance motor because it wont flow as fast or as well through tight tolerances, but for a worn motor, Ive always been a fan of soaking up loose tolerances with thicker oil. To a certain point though. If youre putting straight 40 or 50 in a motor to help it live longer, you know the end is coming soon.

 

atk wants 1799 for the long block


napa wants 1750 for long block, hd water pump, thermostat, plugs and wires. comes with 3yr unlimited miles and its local if something does happen i dont have to pay to ship it

 

Higher viscosity oil ( > 10W-30 in our engines) is extremely thick at startup, so your internal engine components don't get any lubrication. This is where 90% of engine wear occurs. Thicker oils also cause undue stress on your oil pump, because it has to work harder to pump the thicker oil. Thicker oils, like 15W-40 and 20W-50, literally smother the sounds of ticking and the other symptoms related to highly worn engines. Go to bobistheoilguy.com and read the Motor Oil University thing.

 

There is no magic potion or additive to reverse actual wear.

 

:stup id: X2 to both of the above posts.

It's a myth that thicker oil will help fill in tolerances created by wear. Oil isn't just there to lubricate, but to cool as well. Slow all that down, and you acclerate start-up wear, and reduce your engines ability to cool.

All of that adds up to a sooner-than-later date of death for your engine.

Remember the old sawdust tricks that people used to pull when selling old clunkers? The thick oily sawdust would quiet the knocks, clunks, or ticks long enough for the new buyer to drive off. The thicker oil is just a different version of this trick.