Just wanted to thank you, watched your video a few times and then proceeded to do the same thing step by step, the vehicle runs great now no tic at all, great oil pressure. Oh and its under forced aspiration too ;) still running great!!!

I love to hear so called mechanics say this shouldn’t be done My dad is old school and this is exactly what he did to my 350 in my Camaro and the crank was scored pretty good he just polished it with 6000 grit sand paper and put new bearings back in it and I drove it for over another 90k miles before selling it to a friend who drove it another 70k before selling it

This repair technique has been used many times with complete success. As long as the crank journals are not scored or out of round, this method will work perfectly. As an extra step you might also measure the crank journals to insure that they are standard size (or under) and check the clearance with Plastiguage after a test fit to insure that it is within spec.

Old school mechanic skills ...not to much of these guys around almost all would say replace the motor....

Thanks for your info, and you are so right about paying attention to how much force you are using. This does indicate a good stud or bad. Never thought to mention it on the video. I will add a note on the video soon. Thanks for helping to keep this video accurate as possible, Much appreciated!

Glad you liked it, thanks for watching!

Good vid, i am in the process of finding out which big end has gone on my ford s-max (UK) and doing it while the engine is in the car, should be fun. as soon as i heard the knocking i stopped and it only went a few hundred yards then i got it towed home, so hoping no major damage done :) Very good info in the vid, taken all on-board, keep up the good work!

Oh man,this fingerprint is an oldie urban legend at it's finest,its been 30 years i didn't hear about that,brings back a lot of memories

I've replaced bearings in a few cars with the engine still in place and had no problems.

Did this on a friends Caravan 3.3L V6 after it was run with no oil and trashed several of the rod bearings. It sounded terrible prior to the repair. The crank had some visible wear, we smoothed it out as best we could with some super fine sand paper, then cleaned it well. Put new bearings in. It made a little noise at first start up but quieted right down and has run fine ever since with no knocking at all. That was a few months ago and it has been on a couple of road trips since then too. So far, so good... but like you say, it's a risk. If it hadn't worked he wouldn't have been any worse off than when he started, and as it sits now he's gotten a few extra months out of it for very minimal repair cost.

Great job and yes this is a legit fix providing your crank is fine. Most garages, especially dealers, its all about liability. Others just have parts changers, not mechanics that can actually repair something. What's even worse is trying to find a machine shop that can do the machining they used to do. A Real lose of talent today.

I enjoy watching these videos, they are very informative. Just wanted to say thank you, and keep it up for it is greatly appreciated.

It has worked for e in the past. I have the truck running but not complete. Sounds good and has lots of oil pressure.

It looks like you did a pretty good job. The only things I would do different would be to use special clean-room wipes when wiping down the journals, and a new oil pan gasket+clean that oil pan!!!

Very useful and thorough, thanks for posting.

I've got an old '58 Chevy with a 235 that has a bad rod bearing. I just might try this. Thanks.

Nice video work.I guess as long as the rod,cap,and crank journal show no sign's of distortion,just replacing the bearing's would work.

Thank you very muchfor this step by step detailed video!

I think this vid will help me greatly. Thank you!!!

the 70deg thing, if you look at 350 torque specs for conecting rod it says 45 ftlbs

Great Video! I'm replacing both the crankshaft and rod bearings but wanted to know what replacement size clevit bearings I'll need? What ever factory was? Do I just go with original factory one's or do I go slightly undersize? Will the old bearings back side be marked what they were in thousands / size? I get and understand the emery cloth clean up and pre lube concepts etc... too. Thanks in advance!

Actually did this to my Cadillac DeVille a while ago with a friend of mine. My cylinders moved a lot more smoothly, though, and we did it with the engine in the car. L26 4.9 liter engine in a 1991 model. I'd still consider them very reliable since it only started knocking after driving about 14 miles with zero oil pressure and zero oil in the engine. The only reason it stopped was because it stalled... The AC clutch engaged and the car had always had a problem with that. Of course it fired right back up afterwards and got home, where it continued to start up no problem while we tried to figure out what the hell went wrong!

great vid man, learned a lot watching it.

I have an 87 f150 with a 5.0 and I can tell that the bearings are worn. It's not knocking or anything but I can hear the clatter of the bearings on cold starts. Can I get away with just replacing the bearings? The engine runs great and oil pressure looks fine. Never had any true problems out of the engine (Besides the rear main leak and the pan gasket leak). I don't want to have to replace any connecting rods or the crank

Great video. I am replacing all my connecting rod and main bearings tomorrow on my 2000 dodge ram 1500 5.9 liter magnum. The bearings weren't bad just mild wear but I am replacing them anyway and also the oil pump. The journals look like polished stainless steel, shiny and smooth!

Was taking a look at this video for replacing the bearings on a 350 chev i picked up a year ago for my K5 and was told ran but I just got it apart and looks like the last owner replaced the rod bearings already. They look to be a bit warn on the edges and scored but perfectly new in the center. One of the mains is chowdered up bad on an edge too. Since he was tinkering around in there i'm not sure if he plastigauged the bearings or not and am not taking that chance again. I'm not made of money so I think i'll try one of those cheap crank kits from advance. Looking to get some of those aluminum 64 cc heads with the 2.02" intake valves and a nice lopey cam for it :) i'm not looking for a race engine, just something to put around and maybe smoke tires once in a while. Might even pick up a set of rods and flat top pistons for it

I got an 02 windstar that recently started knocking b/c the water hide popped off as I was driving on the freeway and excessive smoke coming out the exhaust causing a peament knock aftet I redid the hose and filled w water, not b/c of insufficient oil which is now black and burnt; hadn't drove it since and it's been causing me extreme mental anguish anfd am about to do the same! Great video btw!

That is a very slick move, if you really have your bleep together it can be pulled off , .... good luck...

Thank you for this video, I'm going to attempt this on my 4.3 Blazer because it has a bad ticking noise from down under the oil pan. Will let you know what happens

MR. MudRFunR I want to thank you for the video on Bearing replacement I know you gave a disclaimer on this sort of repair but it work fine for me, I fallow your instructions to the letter I'm not mechanically incline, but I fallow your instructions the best I could and everything worked out better than I thought it would.Ones again thank you.

Does the crank need to be turned to get to each bearing to remove? I'm doing a 94 s10 2.2

About to be doing this in my chevy blazer 1993 4 door, gonna be doing it with the engine installed (hopefully) almost able to inspect the crank have to get a bunch of things out the way, starter, exhaust, trans is almost out, once i got the pan dropped which its unbolted just no room to drop, ran the ol 4.3 low on oil, she sounded terrible but not a rod knock yet, managed to get us home Had to start it to move it where it needed to be worked on, she still had the sound but for a second it was silent, hopefully shes gonna take these new bearings like a pro and run just as it did before, being that under the truck is messy i have a brand new tarp im gonna lay under the cradle to keep dirt away Gotta inspect and order parts wish me luck will be coming back to this video forsure Need bearings at the least towel rags Assembly lube and lock tite im alse debating on using arp rod cap bolts theyre 60$ new great video

Probably a stupid question but would this work for my 2000 Mustang GT 4.6 liter? At least for a little while I plan on doing a complete overhaul of the motor but I just started working and need to get back and forth for a few weeks.

Hi, I watched your video closely and was able to replace my con rod bearings in my 97 vw jetta. It had a bad knock when it leveled out from accelerating so I thought it was the mains. There were copper shavings in the oil pan and one rod bearing was very worn and coming apart. The car is quiet now after just the rod bearings. Thank you.

hi good videos ? 70 degrees wy put mark nuts more easy?

im doing this right now,, my engine has ALOT of varnish in it,, should I try to clean it or leave it alone.

Great tutorial, sub'd!

ive heard of people welding the screen tube to the pump.,., have u ever tried this?

Great video I realy in joy it am working on my 98 pathfinder 3.3 lt am waiting the weather gets good

Good job , thanks for the info

Anytime, I have the truck running but not complete. Has lots of oil pressure!

Nice tip using the plastic hoses to protect the shaft.

Nice video man

One at a time it helps

Will 2morrow and am hoping for the.best; got the.engine 8 mos ago

Will these fit the 1996 chevy s10

Interesting video I watch them just trying to learn about working on cars and trucks. I didn’t understand about the protractor and the seventy degrees. Can you add any more information or detail?

If the rod bolts require torque/angle, they must not be reused. These are stretched to yield and this second time around they are likely to fail! ALWAYS REPLACE ANY FASTENER THAT IS TORQUE TO YIELD! Thank-you, Steve

I have a 96 Tarus with a knock in it. But, it only starts knocking when the engine is warm and under load. Like when you go up a steep hill but it doesn't do it when idling but will if you rev the engine once it's warmed up. Though, the other day I let it idle for about 15 mins playing with the gas and it didn't knock once. I've changed the oil in it along with the oil filter.

have you did it with the engine still in the vehicle. just droping the pan. I have a blazer I was wondering

Awsome vidio bro!Thank you.

This is what I need to do to my blazer it's knocking a little when oil thins out or gets low, but I keep Lucas oil stabilizer in it.

Did you use a standard/OEM sized bearing, or undersized to account for crankshaft wear?

When would you say bearings are bad enough to need replacement? I got a 2.8 sitting on my stand that im getting ready to install in a 87 s10. It makes 70psi cold, 20psi hot. A bit hesitant about opening up the bottom end.

Hi, how did you know what size bearings to use? Thanks.

Good repair, clear instructions, can help a guy out who wants the motor runnin but not having to remove the head if the top end is still good. As far as I know, you can touch the bearing surface you must have clean hands with nitrile gloves not cotton as you don’t want any foreign material like fibers to go between the surfaces of the bearing and crank as they cause scoring, even fibers from paper towels.

Did you also replace the main bearings on the crank? It it possible to roll the upper bearing half out without completely removing the crank? Maybe this is another video that I did not find. Thank you.

nice thanks for the info.

I have a question .... I have a 5.7 hemi with a knock in bottom end....when I start the truck there is no knock for the first 10 seconds then it gradually gets louder for the next few mins until it has a very noticeable knock in bottom end...and my oil pressure is high when it knocks then...when truck is warm the knock is very faint and regular oil pressure

Thanks good video. How much time to RnR the engine?

I got a quick question I have a 4.6 mustang gt and it has a knocking sound in the bottom end when I turn on the car it knocks hard (the first 2seconds) then it calms down but still knocks... every time I hit the gas it sounds louder does that mean it can be the rod bearing or the whole rod? Can it be fixed with out pulling out the whole engine? Would rather do it myself than try to pay a mechanic since they be charging a lot in la

4.6 SOHC ford has 140k. Been knocking for 10 years. One mech says it's piston/rod pin knock. Other mechanics say it's the bearings. All mechanics want to pull the engine out and overhaul it. I say no. One of these summers I will remove the engine and give the bearings a look. If it is the bearings that are knocking I will use your video as master advice. If it is okay with you? The GT tranny works very well. The only problem is the engine. It overheated in 2009. Blew heads. I had heads overhauled. Mech slipped heads back in. Rod knocking began ever since. I don't want to let go of my Mustang. I will fix it soon. Thank you for the video. Oh, by the way, all the mechanics I have seen in regards I have asked them about changing the bearings only. They give a look and respond that it will not work. I had heard that replacing only the main bearing works well when done well. I will see about this project in the near future. As of today the car still runs. thank you once again.

Great video!

would it be worth spending 200$ on a re-ring kit for a 4.3 vortec? the truck runs, but it knocks. it comes with all of the bearings and gaskets.

hello, this is an excellent video, thank you for this work,,, please I will change my connecting rod bearings on a mustang V6 ci 200 from 1966,, can you tell me the tightening torque of the bearings,,, thank you a lot

Thanks for the great explanation. I will attempt it on a 4.7 jeep motor. And the hose protection is a smart one, good to know.

Good vid my man

How oil free does the backside of the bearings need to be? 100% or just rag wipe cleaned from oil?

Good job mudr ...did this one last? I've got a jeep 4.0 that has developed a slight knock at idle in the bottom end. Seems to quiet down on accel. What are my chances of saving it if it's been babied around town for a month? It's not very loud yet but is getting louder lately. It's always done it just not as loud

can you do this with engine still in the car?

hey sir got a 350 with bottom end knock but bearing looks good what could it be it had copper shavings in the oil pan

I have 2000 S10, knocking pretty good and i suspect rod bearing. do i need to pull entire motor to do this job? or I've heard i could do this by dropping the oil pan. your thoughts? also, if rods are scored bad.....is it even worth finishing? what can i expect to see? broken bearings? possibly heavy scoring? great video, but I'm now even more nervous to do job!!! ahaha.

Good hob. Having to Face doing it on my back.

What would happen if i did this but it still making the knocking noise

Useful information 👍

you earned a sub..

I Got A 5.7 Hemi In A 2015 Ram 2500. I'm Gonna Be Gapping The Rings For Boost Later. Reason I'm Doing This Is The Engine Got A Bad Lifter And Heads Need To Come Off. My Thoughts Are: New Rods Bolts (1 Time Use) And Reuse The Rod Bearings (150,000 Miles). The Reason I Think Re Using The Rod Bearings Is A Good Idea Is Because I Believe 150k Should Be Enough Miles To Get The Rod Bearing Clearance Worn Into A "Race Engine Clearance". And If I Put New Bearings The Clearances Might Be A Little Tight For Boost. Do You Think The Old Rod Bearings Can Be Reused When The Caps Are Removed Or Must They Replaced?

Hey I just started have a knock im my 4.3 and it occurs from start up and gets louder when it revs up im thinkings its a rod bearing but not for sure gonna be pulling the engine soon to check it out any input would be greatly aporeciated as its my first engine tear down

very good video. thanks for posting

what led you to do this type repair. knock? or just maintenance?

i have a 304 in my cj7, could i get away with ordering new bearings, crank, rings if the block is fine?

And the beveled side of rodcap goes toward crank

How many miles you put on the vehicle since this repair?

Do crank bearings too or just rod bearings?

Nice video. did you reuse the bolts? my mazda3 Haynes manual says do no reuse bolts. is that just overkill?

I have a bottom end knock in a 4.3 Chevy, it's definitely coming from the oil pan. When I take the serpentine belt off, the knock goes away. Have you ever seen this and what could that mean?

also one of my freeze plugs is leaking, should I replace them all or just the one,, and do u know an easy way to get them out., thank ye bought the motor at a salvage yard to replace another motor,, the junkyard motor had a blown head gasket, im going thru it. I think it might have blown the head gasket because of the leaking freeze plug and it ran hot.

:) loved the 70 degree toque method xDDDDD

Hi.. Awesome video. I am am going to attempt this on a 2003 Mazda 6 6cyl this weekend with the engine in the car. When the car is started, there is not a knocking. When you increase the RPM to about 2000 it knocks loudly. Am I correct in assuming this is a rod knock and not a knock coming from the mains..

Thanks Buddy

There's always a bunch of nay-sayers out there telling you "It won't work" or "It won't last", and I've learned that damn near every one of them has no first hand knowledge at all. They are just regurgitating something they were told god-only-knows how many years ago. In the last few years, engines have COMPLETELY CHANGED. The metallurgy is nothing like it was decades ago. I pulled the head from a Toyota a while back, and in all the sludge (and darkness and exhaustion), I missed two head bolts underneath the cam bearings. I made a little press out of two head bolts and a pc of angle iron to try to "pop" the head loose. Of course, it failed, duh. However, in the experience, I realized that I had gapped open the rear of the head prolly almost 1/8" WITH TWO HEAD BOLTS STILL IN IT. Since then, I have done a head gasket on my 4200 and on a 2.2 Cavalier, and NEITHER ONE did I even bother to flatten the head. I have the ability to check for cracks myself. The 4200, I liked, so I put new head bolts, but the 2.2, I could care less and just cleaned it up, threw on a new gasket, threw the bolts back in, and tightened them until they felt "tight enough" and called it good. Both engines are running like clocks. There is no fkn way that I flexed that toyota head 1/8" from end to end, and .008 - .010 variance in head surface flatness is gonna make that engine fail. Just like here with these bearings... That crank material is so damn hard, as long as it polishes up relatively smooth, and it doesn't look like small animals have been chewing on it or some shit, you can mate up new bearings and it'll probably be just fine. The world is changing very VERY rapidly, and the word-of-mouth, "Oh my god! Don't do that! It won't work!" bullshit is way too slow in catching up and having people realize that stuff is different than it used to be. There's probly a few thing that mechanics did 30 years ago that can trash a modern engine (off hand, I can think of disco the battery while running to test the alternator nowadays can risk the ecm/pcm) and there's a lot of stuff a mechanic wouldn't have dreamed of doing 30 years ago, that'll work just fine today.

good video

Did you plastiguage? Did you reuse the same rod bolts? I sit still running problem free?

i got some end caps on some wrong pistons and i dont know where they go mine are not factory marked what can i do

nice man!

Did you use standard size bearings?

and should i just do all the bearings or just the one knocking

Meh, don't have to worry about rod bolts unless it's built or HO type engine. Word of warning, check backs of bearings, in the 80s they installed 0.005 under/over at factory and they're stamped as such.

Did you use over size bearings or standard bearings?

You don't use Plastigage?