FIFTY6

Ok im having trouble with the search bar so cant research very well sorry if this is a repeat thread..i just bought a new factory rod from nissan for the sr20det and on the cap of the new rod it says 19-1..the current rod caps in the motor say 22-1..what is the significance of this?

Croustibat

It has to do with bearing clearance. Check the FSM procedure on finding the right bearing, nissan offers 3 or 4 sizes for normal and another 4 for regrind - which aftermarket bearing makers don't.
If i remember correctly you need to add that number to the one on the crank and it gives the reference for the correct bearing. Same thing happens for engine block bearings. Check the FSM for the exact procedure.

FIFTY6

Thanks for the info and i will definitely check the FSM but i have a few more questions..i bought a stock crank and bearing kit and the new rod should be stock also would i be better off getting 3 new rods or 3 new bearing sets?..seems like the old crank had been machined already then so im guessing the new bearings in the kit wont match the old rods either?..wait you know im talking about the raised number on the bottom of the cap not the etched number on the side right?

Croustibat

If you are unsure of crank or rod, the only safe way is to use plastigauge, THEN buy the bearings.

I can't really answer your question, this is your choice. TBH i'd never put a stock rod back in an engine; getting the rod in / out is very time consuming, the price of some forged rods clearly is insignificant compared to the time and costs of gasket/coolant/oil/bolts/measuring needed. Throw in forged internals correctly, get peace of mind for the whole engine life.

So yes, if the rods are out, I'd have bought a set of 4 forged rods and pistons in your, or i'd have slapped another engine and transmission in there ( i am actively trying to decide wether i seriously upgrade my engine with forgies, or slap a turbo inline 5, inline 6, V6 or V8 in there)

This thread explains (with photos) everything you need about how to read these numbers:
http://www.sr20forum.com/technical-i...g-numbers.html

FIFTY6

The rods and pistons are still in the motor..i wanted to avoid new pistons and rings and cylinder honing and blah blah blah..1 rod was 100$..forged rods and pistons more like 1000$ and ive already had to buy a crank..im having to do way more than i thought just for a spun bearing and im terrible with small measurements which is why i would like to buy stuff that fits together without the possibility of things being "off"..so i guess i have to have the cylinders honed for new rings and then a forged internal set?..that is really really frustrating im ready to throw this motor in the front seat and set this car on fire

So Make Like

you'll have to pull the piston out of the motor anyway. in that case, you SHOULDN't re-use rings, but that's your choice. it'd be good to re-ring the piston. it'd be better to lightly hone the cylinder for the new rings to seat nicely. it'd be best to get them all while you're at it. then again, this is zilvia; unfortunately, we aren't all made of money. it all comes down to proper and in-depth assessment of the damage done when and if the motor is apart.

there's nothing wrong with stock rods and pistons, unless you're shooting for the stars.

FIFTY6

I was just planning to mark the ring position on its way out so it would seat into the same place..im sure its obvious this is my first rebuild and yes i should have someone experienced do it but ive been ripped off badly by a handful of mechanics in this area and dont know anyone personally so...im thinking my next step which has been wisely suggested twice is to get more familiar with micro-measurements and do some making sure on what fits what..im sure i will have more questions but answers have been helpful so far thanks

Croustibat

Yeah, finding good mechanics is hard. I can't help you on that, as i live on the other side of the world... just remember building an engine is a tough job. If you can't do it, or can't afford it, get a new engine and drop it in.

Unfortunately, these cars cost a lot of money. If you can't maintain them (that includes paying for a rebuild, or at least the parts and doing it yourself if you really know what you are doing), stay away from them. I feel sorry for you as you already started to throw money at it, just stop spending money now if you don't know what you are doing.

You also need to understant that a spun bearing is a consequence of something gone wrong, not a cause. Changing it (and the rod, and the crank) and hoping for the best is the best way to kill a crank and rods again. You could compare spinning a bearing to havin an electrical breaker go. Replace the breaker without fixing the short circuit, and it will break again.

These bearings aren't weak, they can take 500+ HP all day long. They usually fail when lubrication fails, i.e. when the oil pump is worn or the oil level is too low (or oil has degraded too much). there is no black magic here, so the first step is to find WHY you spun a bearing. If you can't find, you should seriously consider getting another engine.

FIFTY6

Very sound advice croustibat but let me clarify some things..first of all i traded some extra car parts i had for the head gasket job on this sr20 car i had just bought which was a mistake since i could have avoided a lot of trouble by doing it myself..he did a crappy job and didnt torque things right but besides all that he managed to break the rear seal housing and just slapped some rtv on it..the oil was changed but he didnt do the filter..he then drove it up to redline to "test it out" on his way to meet me and spun the bearing..so i already have a brand new oil pump just in case and a rear seal housing on the way and apexi metal head gasket plus the crank-bearing kit and xtra rod and some acl race bearings i bought by mistake and the motor has a rebuilt head with what looks like a tomei head package..im almost there but its frustrating and im not gona just throw all these parts in a box and buy another motor with cash i dont have that may or may not run good or last very long..i gotta learn sometime but i would really like to avoid learning the hard way thats why i bought new parts to eliminate the problems that caused the spun bearing and also why im asking all these questions instead of slapping it together like some people are telling me..i dont want to end up tearing the motor apart any sooner than i have to so im thinking rings and honing for sure to eliminate problems burning oil that could arise but will i need pistons?..the piston for the spun bearing was slapping the head slightly and is a lil shiny on the 2 sides from that but doesnt look worn or hurt just polished..im leaning towards new rods just so everything matches but i think i will remove the pistons and do some measuring and comparing with the new stock rod..o and obviously im going to put new oil in it and oil filter

Croustibat

When we get blocks bored/honed here, we have to provide the pistons to the machinist before, so he can match the bores better.

Again, this is a question of how reliable you want it. The safest way is to go bulletproof, new forged pistons and rods, but if you are on a budget you can always go the safe way, by only checking piston to bore clearance and have the pistons inspected. I really can't tell over a forum, you need someone to look at them.
If your bores are oval, deep scratched or need more than a hone, you would need new pistons.

While you are at it, clean the camshaft oil sprayer bars. If there is RTV in there, you will kiss your new head goodbye in no time. And make sure the oil pickup point sits correctly, they are known to be trouble if damaged or bent. Too high = no oil ...

FIFTY6

Ok so i ran into some other problems along the way and the car isnt 1000% but im finally driving and sliding now and thats awsome!!!..couldnt have done it without the help and info i got here on zilvia thanks a ton to everyone past and future



Update..sounds like rod knock at around 300 miles (no odometer)..but whatever now that ive seen the whole motor in pieces im not afraid of it anymore and ive accumulated all the tools i need so here we go again!..definaitely no less thanks from me as i would be at square 1 without the help but its ironic for sure