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How do I know when it's time to do the bearings?

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ahpook

ahpook

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My 79 1500 is starting to make loud tapping noises above 3k rpms. Is this a sign of bearing trouble? Also, I just had the clutch replaced, and now there's a constant vibration that wasn't there before. I suppose at 113k miles, I should expect to be in for some heavy duty repairs. Are bearings something one can do at home? I've dome pretty much everything else, so I'm pretty confident...
Thanks for any advice...
 
Of course, on these cars anything can be done at home in the garage, under the tree, in the driveway, what ever.
 
Re: How do I know when it's time to do the bearing

In theory, you can pretty easily replace the bearings in your drive way. But odds are that if your bearings are bad, the bearing journals on your crank need to be "turned" or resurfaced. At that point you are pretty much into a complete tear down and rebuild.

But before you start tearing things apart, try to isolate the source of the sound. I had an old Porsche that would make a loud banging noise when I would step on the gas. I thought I was doomed. It turned out to be the fuel filter banging on firewall. A pretty easy fix.

So I would highly reccomend a thorough survey of your engine compartment to see if you can find any loose parts that could be causing the noise.
 
Re: How do I know when it's time to do the bearing

Of course listening with a long long screwdriver to your ear as you move it around the engine will isolate the sound location. Just might be something stupid.
 
Re: How do I know when it's time to do the bearing

Also sounds like you may want to check your u-joints (the vibration). But an engine fresh-up would probably help the crank.
Bill
 
""""""starting to make loud tapping noises above 3k rpms"""""

is it half engine speed...? Could be a valve adjustment is in order...at least an inspection.


"""""Is this a sign of bearing trouble? """""

if it's metallic tapping, prolly not. Excesive bearing wear = low(er) oil pressure and really hammered/worn a whirring noise from the bottom of the motor on up rev and down rev.

"""""""just had the clutch replaced, and now there's a constant vibration that wasn't there before"""""

prolly an imbalance in the pressure plate. If they had the flywheel surfaced , could be got something bass ackwards on assembly. I wud suggest a trip back to the mekanik...."fix it" as the vibes werent there before.

""""""""I suppose at 113k miles, I should expect to be in for some heavy duty repairs. """"""

Cant drive em forever.....small displacement motor and back B.C. (before computers) when tractor motor and 50's designs prevailed, 113K is a lot of miles.

"""""""I've dome pretty much everything else, """"""""

like brain surgury? just kidding. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thirsty.gif a few pints of Watneys and an owners manual might be a start.
 
How is the oil pressure at idle, and at speed?
How much does the RPM drop when you push in the clutch at a standstill? Any significant change is cause for investigation. At 113K, I'd bet the thrust washers are gone, probably along with the bearings. Thrust washers are prone to failure on the 1500.
Yank it and take a look.
Jeff
 
I agree with Bill concerning the vibration. It could be the u-joints are bad, but it could also be that the drive shaft was put back in a different position. I am very meticulous at marking parts so that sort of thing does not happen. (Ask me how I know to do this.)Since I imagine you will be checking the u-joints yourself, it might be faster to check this out before taking it back to the mechanic. Be sure to mark the position of the drive shaft before you take it out.
Kevin
 
Re: How do I know when it's time to do the bearing

Kevin -
Is there a way to do this without rotating the drive shaft one tooth at a time? and yes, I'll ask, how do you know this? My mechanic is pretty good at older cars, but he might not have known this particular trick....
George
 
Re: How do I know when it's time to do the bearing

I had an exhaust leak, on start up it would sound like the whole lower end was dry as a bone. 39 seconds later as was quiet after the piped heated up a little.

1500 drive shafts are a real pain...




mark
 
Re: How do I know when it's time to do the bearing

one last thought on the vibration - there's a tension cable between the body and transmission. When the clutch was replaced, they may have over-tightened it leading to the vibration.
 
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