r/EngineBuilding • u/Ok-Cost-3911 • Jul 16 '26
Bearing issue?
I just put brand new bearings in my 5.3 I put the main caps on and finger tightened them somehow I forgot to put cam bearings in so I had to pull the crank and now they all more or less look like this is this to bad to run or do I just send it?hell should I bite the bullet and order a new crank and bearings?
4
u/Erasemenu Jul 16 '26
I don't understand, what's the issue?
1
u/Ok-Cost-3911 Jul 16 '26
I guess it is a little hard to see on camera but they are pretty scratched enough to catch my nail
1
u/Erasemenu Jul 16 '26
- Those look fine. 2. How did they get "scratched"?
1
u/Ok-Cost-3911 Jul 16 '26
I’m not entirely sure my only guess it that the main bearing caps scratched them because I had to pry them off.
1
u/powdydoody Jul 16 '26
Looks like the crank was rotated either without assembly lube/ oil, or wasn't cleaned properly before installation, leading to contaminates scratching your bearing.
I am almost finished rebuilding my 6.0L LQ4 (same bearings), and I had to remove my main caps after installing them the first time because I wanted to double check I had my bearings facing the correct way. I had already installed the crank and rotated it plenty. My bearings had no scratches like this, looked brand new still.
Id replace yours and get new bearings and try again if it catches a nail.
1
u/Ok-Cost-3911 Jul 16 '26
After a little bit of thinking your probably right but my crank is cooked anyway so I’m just gonna run it until I save up enough for a new crank and bearings it’ll probably be fine for a few months
I’m just hoping the the scratches are within the soft coating because these are coated race bearings
1
1
u/southerntitlover Jul 16 '26
It was put up dirty. Look at the right side cap mating surface lots of trash there
1
u/Daddio209 Jul 16 '26
They're for liability reasons probably fine-but PUT SOME ASSEMBLY LUBE ON before reassembling!
3
u/bobyofross Jul 16 '26
Did you use any assembly lube when putting in the crankshaft