What do I do with my engine, advice and opinions please.

[Roger Chatfield 0]

As some of you know I'm having a few problems with my VR6, as I've already got the sump off I thought it may be a good idea to change the big end bearing shells as I'm led to believe that this is quite easy with the engine still in the car.

 

Can anyone recommend a supplier for said big end bearings??

 

Many thanks

 

Rog.

Edited March 5, 2014 by Roger Chatfield

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Dealer, or Glyco from aftermarket sources.

 

http://www.enginepartsuk.net/glyco

 

You'll need new rod bolts as well. Might be cheaper to upgrade to ARP bolts.

 

If you're not getting any obvious noise from rod bearing wear (the noise is VERY VERY obvious, and oil pressure would be very low as well), I'd leave well alone personally.

[Roger Chatfield 0]

Kev, I'm getting a tapping/rattling sound when hot, worse above 3k and under load, also I've found a fair bit of metal in the oil filter stainer and oil filter.. (Page 2 of this thread http://the-corrado.net/showthread.php?t=83805) hence why I'm thinking big ends.

 

I'm now thinking I might just change the lifters (got new ones here and as the cam cover is off) fill it with the thicker oil (10w 50 fully synth) and pray for the best.

 

Rog.

[fla 9]

does it disappear after 3000 rpm ie is there a narrow band where the noise is apparent? If so, it could very well be the shells. Not a difficult job, just time consuming.

 

When you drain the oil leave it overnight to drip into the sump - otherwise you will be foreever wiping little drips from the crank! I think i posted some pics of mine and some pointers. In a nutshell, remove the sparks and battery, take off the sump, starting from one end remove the piston end cap - you'll see one half of the shell in there. Note the small channel at one end - this feeds oil to the crankshaft. remove this by just holding the end cap and spinning the shell out of it. Now get back under the engine, push the piston up to get some clearance spin out the other half of the end cap, again noting the direction of the oil feed channel. Fit the new shell, pull the crank down onto the crankshaft and tighten the end bolts. Make sure the shell is still aligned and has not spun round. Keep loads of rags handy for any further oil spills.

And make sure you oil the shell (concave side) before fitting!

Its actually one of the nicer jobs on the Corrado - there's no short cut unfortunately, but its not hard at all.

Best of luck.

[Roger Chatfield 0]

Cheers mate, I might just do this then if it's not that expensive, did you reuse the bolts or fit new?

Some folk on VR6OC think you can reuse the bolts.

 

Rog.

[Roger Chatfield 0]

Just been having a little think... What material are bearing shells made from because the bits I've found in my oil stainer are ferrous (they stick to a magnet)... Having just looked at the link that Kev posted up it appears the replacement shells are aluminium alloy, are the OE she'll the same?

 

I don't know what to do now, the metal has come from somewhere and I need to find out where however I did fit a 2nd hand oil cooler that I didn't (foolishly) wash out so it may have come from there, there is also the sound, what could be causing that, I thought it could be the top tensioner but it's not that.

 

So options are.. Fit lifters and new thicker oil... Pull gearbox and check bottom tensioner... Or.. Fit new big ends, lifters and oil...

 

What do you reckon chaps??

 

Rog.

[fla 9]

i reused the bolts. The shells are steel with some kind of coating on the wear face.

It could be the tensioner bolt - i bought a spare one (around £50 !) but didnt need it in the end.

 

Perhaps you could take the cooler out, flush it through, run some fresh 'cheap' oil with a new filter for around 5 miles. Drain and refill with proper oil and new filter.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Knackered rod bearings cause a deathly rattle from the block and the aforementioned low oil pressure. I guess as you've got the sump off, it would hurt to drop a conrod shell and inspect a bearing.

 

I can't see your pics as I'm at work (image hosting sites are blocked here) but metal fragments at the bottom of the filter are normal, but only a few little bits. If the filter has loads of metal bits in it, yeah, you've got a problem!

 

Based on your description, it's not sounding healthy and I'd probably start looking for a replacement engine tbh.

[Roger Chatfield 0]

Cheers Kev, luckily I've got a spare ABV sat in my garage.

 

So I think I've got a plan, I'm going to wash out the oil cooler and check to see if maybe the metal has come from there, next I'm going to remove the big end caps and give them a good eye balling, if they are ok, I'm going to fit my new lifters (might as well) fill with oil and wait until it goes pop.

 

Rog.

[Roger Chatfield 0]

Just flushed the oil cooler and its clear, deffo looks like the metal has come from my engine.

 

Also had a good look round underneath (up into the engine, I can see the bottom of the bottom tensioner and it looks ok, both chains look ok as well with no sign of damage.

 

Rog.

[Roger Chatfield 0]

And finally we have an answer...

 

Big end bearings...

 

 

I've only dropped no 6 so far but I assume the rest will be the same...

I'm actually quite pleased, at least I now know what's wrong and it's not too difficult to replace the shells, the crank is undamaged, I think I've caught this just in time.

 

Ok, next question, where can i get replacement shells and what do you think has caused this?? the only thing I've done is change the oil although the oil temp does go quite high (124 was the highest I've seen) was the replacement oil maybe too thin for a 138000 engine (10w 40), oil pressure has never been low... any ideas??

 

Rog.

[robrado974 1]

Hi Rog ,ive just seen the text you sent me , im pleased you have found the problem mate . I really dont think you can put it down to the oil you put in when you changed it . We all know the car was looked after by the previous owner , think it is just down to bad luck to be honest .

Rob

[Jim 1]

Interesting. I would go to VW for the bearing shells.

[Roger Blassberg 0]

Check the main bearings as well. If there was oil starvation they will have been damaged too, but you'll have to take the crankshaft out to do them.

 

Best wishes

 

RB

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Passat R36 shells are coated if you want something uprated, but may not be worth if if you just want to get it up and running again.

 

Stock VW as Jim suggested but they're not cheap. I think Stealth can supply the Glycol ones, might be worth giving them a ring. I used those in my VR6 turbo and know they are up to the job.

 

Primary cause of shell failure - oil starvation. I don't want to cast any aspersions as it's a member's old car, but it can occur through neglect or hard cornering with a low oil level. 1 or 6 dies first, depending if it's a left or right hander. If 3, 4 & 5 are less worn, we have the cause. VR6's don't have baffled sumps and a couple of members lost rod bearings on track days because of it.

 

A pricey but OEM solution is the R32 sump / pump. If you're thinking of replacing the pump anyway, it's a good time to do it.