Availability of quality main and rod bearings

Engine, Transmission and related drivetrain.
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Byron510
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Availability of quality main and rod bearings

Post by Byron510 »

Hi all,

So I was posed with an interesting question this past week. Locally (Vancouver BC) there seems to be an issue with supply of quality bearing components for our aging L series engines. Cleveite, Michigan 7 and the like seem to not be available anymore...

Now I am really hoping this is a local issue, and not a permanent one fro many of us still running the older iron.
Of all the parts I suspected to dry up as these motors get older, I did not conceive the main and rod bearings as being on that earlier list of discontinued parts.

Cleveite shows only rod bearings on their online catalog anymore, no mains at all. And tri-metal only available in the 1mm undersize range for the 4 cyl applications;

However for the 6 cyl applications it show mains available in both tri-metal standard side;

https://catalog.mahle-aftermarket.com/n ... 760&step=2

So I went back into my trusty paperback archives, and in HP Books/Tom Monroe's How to Rebuild your Nissan/Datsun OHC Engine, on page 57 there is an L series comparison page showing the L6 main bearing crank diameters are 54.935-54.955mm's and the L4 size is 54.942-54.955. So does this mean that the L6 tolerances are slightly tighter or is this a misprint?

The final question here is (and assuming the bearings can be interchangeable for size), can you use the L6 set to make an L4 set of main bearings? Is the thrust bearing, the front and rear main bearing and the two remaining bearing surfaces the same as an L4?

Does anyone know for sure? - no guesses here as there tolerance between the two are very small.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

So, is there still another source for good quality bearings? I see that Sealed Power still lists them on Rock Auto, and the TIB (Taiwan brand of questionable quality on other parts) seems to still be available.

The tri-metal OEM type bearings seem to be the first to be going, the aluminum component materials now replacing them. What are peoples thoughts on the comparison of the two materials for use in our old engines? De we need to look at lubrication differently - weights, volumes ect?

If there are guys with good objective experience with these questions, I'd love to hear from you.

In the mean time, I'll look into seeing if Cleveite and Michigan tri-metal type bearings are still available through other sources for the L16/L18/L20B's

Byron
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datzenmike
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Re: Availability of quality main and rod bearings

Post by datzenmike »

Mains... L16 / 18 are the same. L20B / Z20 / Z22 / Z24 are the same. KA same diameter but vastly different width.
Rods.... all the same including KA.
"Nissan 'shit the bed' when they made these, plain and simple." McShagger510 on flattop SUs
510rob
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Re: Availability of quality main and rod bearings

Post by 510rob »

Byron, ask Ian Tanner - he is your best bet for details of this sort.
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510wizard
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Re: Availability of quality main and rod bearings

Post by 510wizard »

Does Nissan have bearings anymore ? I have always used OEM. There has been some misprints in the Tom Moore book, maybe this is another one.
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Byron510
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Re: Availability of quality main and rod bearings

Post by Byron510 »

Rod and mains are available from Nissan Japan - 8-10 weeks which is a little tight for getting the race engine together for this vintage racer.


Rob, I’ll have to drop by Ian’s shop if I was to ask such a question.

In the mean time, if anyone can confirm that an L6 main bearing set will work in an L4, that would be good to document.

Byron
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because the opposite never works.
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Baz
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Re: Availability of quality main and rod bearings

Post by Baz »

King competition mains & rod bearings have never failed me. Also I use the Jap Taiho bearings they are also top shelf. Surely these bearings are available in the US. I have used the kings in more engines than I can remember & never had a bottom end failure. This includes 8K rpm & turbo & supercharged engines. Just get clearances right & the right oil pressure. These bearings are readily available in Oz.

Alecular™ Bearing Material -- KING developed this alternative to the traditional tri-metal bearings construction.
KING bearings have a single deep (.012" - .015") layer of Alecular material, an exclusive alloy of aluminium, tin, copper and other metals, on the steel backing. This gives us superior embed ability. "Bull's Eye" Bearing Wall Tolerance -- With advanced quality control procedures, KING is able to maintain rod and main bearing wall thickness tolerances at an amazingly tight plus or minus .0001" -- far tighter than other manufacturers.
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510wizard
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Re: Availability of quality main and rod bearings

Post by 510wizard »

Looks like Summit Racing in the States carries King Bearings , the AM series are listed. Baz What series do you use?
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Baz
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Re: Availability of quality main and rod bearings

Post by Baz »

The Am series is a street bearing. Have used them, they are fine, Tho the part# & listing has changed. I am out of stock so could not check on the competition ID, The king bearing site in US has no Listing for L series. See what I can find when my stock comes in.
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