I'm wondering if main bearings can slip out of 22re's and drop into the oil pan. Anyone know from experience?

 

Crank bearings don't just fall out.

You'd have to neglect a knock long enough to actually chew up the bearing into small pieces to do that...

 

What did you find in your oil pan?
Bigblock

 

Generally, no they can't fall out. the throw (the part of the crankshaft that extends out to the journal for the connecting rod) on the crankshaft would hold them in. they can conceivably spin, then block the oil passage, gall then sieze and possibly shatter and fall out in little pieces though.

why do you ask?

 

I reckon he ain't tellin!
Bigblock

 

haha, this made me think about that thread from a while back about what would be the craziest thing to find in your oil pan, or to put in it for the next owner to find, lol

a main bearing would be perfect, and really make the next person to drop the pan go

maybe he found one in his pan, and the previous owner placed it there intentionaly, lol

you don't just lose a main bearing and not realize it... unless you're... nevermind, I'll keep my words to myself

 

lol.
maybe an undamaged bearing and connecting rod and piston, with a full set of rings and a spark plug of course?

 

the only way it could fall out is if one of the caps fell off. its more likely what you found in there is pieces of a timing guide.
either that or the PO is playing a joke on you
or someone dropped it and was too lazy to pull the pan and take it out... thats what i'd do lol

 

Holy smokes batman.... I didn't think I'd get that many responses. I'm pretty sure, but not certain that I have a large piece of what appears to be a chewed up main bearing. I compared the broken piece to a new bearing and both the thickness and curvature of the pieces match up perfectly. The broken piece is about 1.5 inches long.

 

pictures?

 

x2 ... sounds fishy...

 

thats really weird... just pull the rod and main caps and see whats goin on
that PO must have been a real joker hehe

 

I don't think it's entirely impossible. The spun rod bearings that I pull from my engine got pretty flat. If they got flat enough, it's a possibility. But, like the rest say, it's pretty hard for them to slip out, and there'd be a terrible racket going on.

 

There was no flatness to the broken bearing. I'll post pics early next week for those interested.

 

are you sure that it wasn't a thrust washer/bearing? those could easily fall out if they are worn enough

 

I'm positive that it's not a thrust washer. I'll have a pic up early next week.

 

Here are the pics:

 

That looks like a pretty thick bearing, if in fact it is one. It's also sheared funny as well. So can you see where they might have come from? Bearings usually have a groove in the middle of them, and at least one oiling hole. I don't see that on those pieces.

 

AM timing chain guide?

lol, I dunno

 

I'll pull the bearings and see if any are missing. If they are all intact, this will indeed be a mystery.... stay tuned.