Nogarage

Rod knock, will be check and possibly replacing rod bearings, but how best to keep it all clean from under engine still in truck?

Newly acquired '94 4WD pickup with 22RE. I'm pretty freakin sure it's a rod knock. Very low oil pressure, check engine light on. Spent the past four days reading everything I could find on this site having to do with rod knocks, and checking and replacing these bearings from under the engine, and using the plastigage. I'm okay with it all, let's just find out what's knocking, and why the oil pressure doesn't stay up, see if we can solve it without pulling the motor.

Removed the diff and dropped the oil pan and will check what I can but I need suggestions first, and hopefully this very amazingly helpful Yotatech community can enlighten me. My concern is about keeping things clean while removing/replacing caps and bearings.

The oil screen had bits of silicon gasket hanging from it and there was a puddle of too thick waste in the pan. What about the dirt, grit, residue,....SCHMUTZ! that likely is clogging oil holes in the crankshaft? Sure, I might find the bearings are kaka, but if the crank is in good shape I torque in some fresh bearings, but what about potentially cleaning or removing the possible foreign particles in there just waiting to do damage again??

Is there a technique I should know about? Spraying what I can with a solvent in the hopes of thinning out any schmutz, and clearing oil holes? Does this make sense? We live in a condo apartment, so this is all taking place in a parking space. Wish I had a garage. (The good news is, amazing wife I have, she said if I can't fix it then I could swap in the 22RE from the '93 with the rotting frame, and she'd let me rebuild the '94 in our basement Yes, I've been planning how to wheel it in there, if it comes to that).

Nogarage

Only having swapped one head, and replaced one timing belt tensioner, I suppose I should have headlined my thread, "NOOBE HERE". Didn't know what I was getting into, except from reading other posts about replacing rod bearings. Turns out the bearings are all worn down to copper color to some degree or another, very minor scaring on one or them, and I'm actually not certain the slight knock was due to a bearing in the first place... right? Could have been sumthin else..., wrist pin, maybe? (Should have used a stethascope). So here I go with the plastigage, which is my method of measuring for replacement bearings, which anyway are needed.

snobdds

I have no experience doing bearnings from the bottom up, but I would suppose you could spray some carb cleaner around everything to clean it up. Then I would blow compressed air to get all the "little stuff" out. Just make sure to reapply assembly lube to everything so your not dry starting it. I think your doing the most importiant part by plastigaugeing it to make sure everything is properly seated in there.

Nogarage

Thanks for your input. Unfortunately the plastigage will have to wait. - I did a stupid thing. I took off ALL the rod bearings, then moved the crank. Now a couple of rods with their two bolts hanging are hanging up my crank moving back into place with all the rods on their respective journals. I tried loosening the crank, I thought I could let it hang down a half inch, but it won't budge. Is there a way of backing out the connecting rod bolts? Otherwise it looks like I'll have to pull the head in order to manipulate the pistons and rods... Bummer there. Suggestions, anyone?

Nogarage

Been learning a freakin lot, on this site and just by staying calm and paying attention to what I'm doing. Thank you Snobdds for your suggestion with the carb cleaner and compressed air. this makes a lot of sense especially from UNDER the engine. I'm just gonna try to keep everything clean as I can. It's somewhat dark under there, even with the hood propped, so lights and a mirror should be a good idea too.

Also, I fixed the situation with the rod/bolts/crankshaft. No way to back out rod bolts, and don't have to pull the head... Bright idea: I slipped balloons (uninflated - the real long skinny ones they blow up with compressed air at parties) over the bolts to protect the crank from nicks, and tied their ends onto steering gear, etc., pulling the rods/bolts into the positions I needed them to be in. Patience, lots of it. And a few good curse words.

Got my new bearings, they are going in tomorrow. First with Plastigage. Assembly lube for final installation. Got it.

abecedarian

Let's hope the plastigauge shows your new bearings are within spec. Else, you'll be getting new bearings.

And sorry to hear about your pain. Do be carefull though since it seems your rod studs have contacted the bearing journals on the crank, there is the possibility that the journal(s) are damaged and may need resurfaced or turned. Also, vacuum hose over the studs on the rods is a better choice than balloons.

Good luck

Nogarage

Thanks, Abe. Yeah, that's what I'm counting on the Plastigage to tell me. I measured the crank with vernier calipers, which showed them to be very close to standard spec. Could not feel any nicks or scratches on the crank, but I don't know if fingers are sensitive enough for that. Am hoping no harm was done. I'll post my results. I've taken serious note of the suggestions here, including yours, for Plastigage use.

Vacuum hose!! Wish I'd thought of that. I was thinking fuel hose, but it is too thick for the spaces I had to move things around. Also, the balloons I stretched and tied the ends to steering gear to hold the rods in certain positions while I GENTLY turned the crank. A little clockwise, move a rod or two. A little counterclockwise, move a rod or two. Etc., until I reversed my screw-up. Slow, careful process, felt like a surgeon.

874runnersr5

good luck! sounds interesting, post as soon as you get her firing!!

Nogarage

She's ALIVE!!

Got the bearings installed the other day, and bolted on the oil pan, following instructions on the gasket sealer. This morning I re-torqued the pan, installed the plugs and fired her up. I'm real pleased that the oil pressure is normal, and for the most part the knock is gone. For the most part. But what sounds like the same knock is there, only at startup, for a few seconds, and disappears as quickly as I open the throttle, and then I let off the gas and the knock is gone. When I got into this I knew that I didn't know that worn bearings were causing the knock. Very possible, but could be any of a number of other causes. Anyway, the bearing were all quite worn and in need of replacement. Man at the parts store suggested I run a quart or so of Lucas Oil Stabilizer, said it helps keep oil throughout the engine. He described several successes he's had with the stuff. I'm set to do this, in about 800 to 1K. Meanwhile I'm real pleased with the steady idle, the firing is even, sounds great.

It was a great experience, getting into the engine from underneath. I would strongly suggest to anyone doing this to have ample lighting. Plug in and aim a good work light, or a LED flashlight with fresh batteries. The better you can see what you're doing and how you're doing it, the better your gonna sleep at night.

olharleyman

I say run 15w40 in it till you get a couple thousand miles 15w40 has a lot of good stuff for a new motor or rebuilt/new bearings.

Dirt Driver

Save your dollars and put them toward an oil change with some decent name-brand oil and a good filter. Lucas Oil "Stabilizer" is snake oil at best. I trust parts store monkeys about as far as I can throw them.

Nogarage

Thanks much for the input on Lucas. I've found too many different opions about the stuff. I'd rather listen to Yotatechers regarding my Yota. I will stick with a good quality 15W40.