Rod Bearing Replacement

[3BarEvo8]

My car has been through a lot of abuse and is currently leaking oil out of the pan gasket. I have had good luck on other platforms changing out rod bearings through the bottom with the engine still in the car. I’m looking to swap out the bearings while the pan is down. King cr222sv looks to be the way I should go. I can’t find much on rod bolts, I don’t see getting a new set of stockers being a problem however does anyone have a part number on arp bolts? Any one have any advice or have done this already? Thanks

 

[gorspeed]

Taking off the bed plate and sealing it while in car does not seem like a fun task.

 

[DCook]

Taking off the bed plate and sealing it while in car does not seem like a fun task.

You don't have to drop the bed plate to just do rod bearings i thought? Just the pan and windage tray?

 

[3BarEvo8]

I run a shop and Mitchell labor guide says oil pan gasket is 7.9 and rod bearing replacement is an additional 1 hour. I would figure with removing the windage tray and oil pickup I can remove the rod caps and pull the rods down on the side of the crank and change the bearings. Only thing I’m worried about is if the oil pump is in the way.

 

[colo_evo]

Are you going to aimlessly replace the bearings without checking clearances? If yes, I'd advise not to touch them.

 

[3BarEvo8]

I was going to plastigauge.

 

[JimboFresh206]

I would stay oem bolts since you can't really re-size the rods.

-guy who builds m30s and not n54s-

 

[JonEQuest]

I have just been at this point. Once the pan comes off it is easy to do the rod bearings since most of the labor is done already. I actually just got 2 incorrect size out of 12 bearings. Yes, the King CR222SV is the right bearing and the ones I ordered. I had to in one shrink wrapped package that were .25 instead of STD sized. That was a factory packaging defect. I would look at them carefully when installing the new ones.

 

[BoostedE90]

I run a shop and Mitchell labor guide says oil pan gasket is 7.9 and rod bearing replacement is an additional 1 hour. I would figure with removing the windage tray and oil pickup I can remove the rod caps and pull the rods down on the side of the crank and change the bearings. Only thing I’m worried about is if the oil pump is in the way.

If you have the time you should do a DIY.

 

[3BarEvo8]

I have just been at this point. Once the pan comes off it is easy to do the rod bearings since most of the labor is done already. I actually just got 2 incorrect size out of 12 bearings. Yes, the King CR222SV is the right bearing and the ones I ordered. I had to in one shrink wrapped package that were .25 instead of STD sized. That was a factory packaging defect. I would look at them carefully when installing the new ones.

Awesome to hear. Thanks for the heads up i will definitely keep an eye out i was going to check the clearances anyway. Did you plastigauge or just slap them in?

Boostede90- i should be able to throw something together.

 

[Panzerfaust]

I'm getting VAC coated bearings and ARP fasteners installed when my VTT crank fix + Schrick cams go in. The shop said dropping the oil pan is enough to justify doing the bearings and only added about half an hour of labor to do the bearings, so I imagine you'll be fine doing it that way too.

 

[JonEQuest]

Awesome to hear. Thanks for the heads up i will definitely keep an eye out i was going to check the clearances anyway. Did you plastigauge or just slap them in?

Boostede90- i should be able to throw something together.

I am still apart at the moment. I had to change a piston & rod which meant removing the head, etc. I am going to check pistons bores, etc. then probably just put the bearings in. I had no damage and the crank has not been ground. I am just changing them because I had to pull the pan anyway.

 

[Aaron]

The oil pump does interfere with the #1 bearing. You can work around it, they leave enough room although it is a bit tight. Or you could remove it, pretty easy but would require a new bolt kit.

VAC sells an ARP kit for rod bolts. If you remind me I'll give you a quick review tomorrow as I'm installing them tomorrow.

 

[3BarEvo8]

The oil pump does interfere with the #1 bearing. You can work around it, they leave enough room although it is a bit tight. Or you could remove it, pretty easy but would require a new bolt kit.

VAC sells an ARP kit for rod bolts. If you remind me I'll give you a quick review tomorrow as I'm installing them tomorrow.

Awesome info thanks Aaron

 

[Aaron]

So the VAC kit is indeed an off the shelf kit for another application. On one hand, they did the research to figure out which application, but on the other, the kit is available for $25 cheaper elsewhere, and with free shipping. So I'm torn on how I feel.

The bolts work great as I'd expect. However, ARP recommends 36 lb-ft if you don't have a way to measure stretch (.0070-.0075). I found mine were hitting about 55 lb-ft in order to reach that stretch. So moral of the story, get the tools needed to measure stretch as you torque.

 

[Hydra Performance]

@Aaron,

A 2min search over on RealOEM is all the research one needs to determine that our rod bolts have been in use on various other BMW motors since time immemorial. With that said, I generally do not recommend changing rod bolt stretch without resizing the rod journal - which just isn't possible on a cracked rod I'm afraid... So best to keep it stock IMHO.

 

[bahn]

I have to agree with Hydra, if you increase the clamping force you will pull the big end of the rod out of round causing a tighter clearance on two sides and a larger clearance on the perpendicular sides.

 

[Panzerfaust]

So the VAC kit is indeed an off the shelf kit for another application. On one hand, they did the research to figure out which application, but on the other, the kit is available for $25 cheaper elsewhere, and with free shipping. So I'm torn on how I feel.

The bolts work great as I'd expect. However, ARP recommends 36 lb-ft if you don't have a way to measure stretch (.0070-.0075). I found mine were hitting about 55 lb-ft in order to reach that stretch. So moral of the story, get the tools needed to measure stretch as you torque.

VAC also has a kit for the N54, it's just not listed on their site - their dealers have access to it though as that's what I got. I'm close with the shop who I ordered them through so I got them at his cost and saved about $40 over what just the bearings would cost normally.

 

[Alex@abrhouston]

Buy an oil pump bolt kit, you'll need it for the windage tray and oil pump bolts.
I have Bearings in stock if you need them as well Lots of them.
If you want them coated as well, not an issue.
No, you don't have to pull the bedplate for rod bolts like someone mentioned above.

 

[Aaron]

You don't have to pull the oil pump either. Just the windage tray, and red loctite on those bolts is fine since they aren't under any torque.