Wow, RacerX you are my model for calm in the face of adversity.  Personally, I would
be flipping out if I just rebuilt and installed an engine only to find out about the
wrong bearing size.  I have done many less frustrating things and gone mad for days
thinking about all the wasted and lost time.  Better way to look at it...what a
learning experience.  I love that!  I aspire to be half as accepting of the problems
inevitably incountered when being a backyard mechanic.
Mark

Racer X wrote:

> Hey Joshua-
> Thanks for getting back to me.
> I'm in the process now of finding out if the bearings that I bought from
> Bus Depot were the wrong size. First I ordered the standards and then
> found out that my crank needed to be ground. They did a "first grind",
> taking off .010". I then called Bus Depot and ordered some new bearings,
> supposedly for that new size, but when they arrived, they were clearly
> too thick. So...foolishly, I put in the standards, thinking they were
> right (and they did 'seem' to fit pretty tight).
> I'm new to this bearing stuff as this is the first engine I've rebuilt.
> This is a great learning experience! I must say that I'm getting pretty
> good at pulling my engine!
> Anyway, I wrote Ron an email yesterday to ask him to second check the
> numbers on the bearings and see if I could exchange them for the right
> size. Haven't heard back from him yet...
>
> Keepin' my fingers crossed at this point.
>
> ---------------------------
>
> Joshua Van Tol wrote:
> >
> > >Hey folks...Hope this has been a Happy Thanksgiving for all of you.
> > >Now...on to the new problem!
> > >
> > >Well, I've pretty much done all I can and the same problem is
> > >resurfacing in my van...
> > >
> > >Rebuilt, new bearings, rings, gaskets, oil pump, oil pickup tube (as
> > >well as other things) I've got a new VW filter, GTX 20w50 oil, VDO oil
> > >pressure gauge.
> > >
> > >Motor cranks up fine, idles fine, initial oil pressure is fine. Then,
> > >after running for about 15 minutes the oil pressure starts to drop. When
> > >it reaches 9 bar, the idiot light comes on. I've got both oil pressure
> > >senders new... Then the engine stalls, or if you step on the gas, it
> > >stalls...The outside temperature of the block is about 120� when this happens.
> > >
> > >What up? I don't have a clue. It was doing this same thing before and I
> > >thought it was the bearings. I had no oil pressure problems before I
> > >started this job as it started out to be just a head gasket rebuild.
> > >After I got into it I chose to redo the whole thing.
> >
> > My guess: Either you have the wrong size bearings (could be an align bored
> > case, for example) or your crank was machined wrong, or you could have left
> > out a bearing shell, or the oil pump could be worn out. What it comes down
> > to is you are going to have to take that engine apart, and find out what's
> > out of tolerance.
> >
> > Joshua Van Tol -- jjvantol@lear.csp.ee.memphis.edu