Joined
·
8,804 Posts
I still have some paranoia regarding my car. I'm past worrying about knocking and det - I've learned how to map and I've got a good strong, yet a touch conservative map, and I'm running 114 octane brew. With a close eye and ear on the engine (plus four knock sensors) I'm satisfied with my tune and the boost I run.
But I find myself worrying constantly about my bearings. A lot. I have spent thousands on my oil system, and as far as wet sump RB26 systems go, I don't think anyone has gone further than I have. I watch oil pressure like a hawk - it is the most prominent gauge on my dash. I fret over oil selection, worried about too thin or too thick.
I worry most about sounds. I've finally determined that my boost solenoid fluttering is just that, the boost solenoid. But any ticking or fluttering sounds freak me out. They are barely audible, considering that I've got uprated cams.
Where I realized that I have a problem though, was yesterday when I was stuck in traffic. Oil temps hit nearly 100, and I started to hear a very soft fluttery sound at low RPM. I panicked and pulled off to let the engine cool down and possibly avert a spun bearing disaster.
Now rationally, 100 degrees is the temperature where an oil actually reaches its rated viscosity. So it's not "too hot". Furthermore, should I be panicking over every peep my engine makes, but even my mechanic can't hear, despite detailed descriptions of what I'm "hearing"?
I've spun a bearing before, and it makes a LOT of noise. I guess what I'm wondering is...is there any way to hear that a bearing is on the verge of letting go?
And what about preemptive reshelling of the whole engine? How would you know when to do that? If indeed that's something that ought to be done? I know that drag Skylines need wrist pins replaced fairly often, especially if they haven't been upgraded to 22mm.
Bearing shells seem like something that would be very simple to lock into place. When rebuilding my engine last year, yeah, they snap into place, but I just stared at the design and wondered why wasn't there something very simple, like locking notches, to really pin them down?
Or how about this question - I've done everything possible I can think of to make for happy bearings - they were sized correctly, they get plenty of oil. I preoil the engine with 2 bars of oil pressure before starting it up. Now, the conrods and crank are supposed to float over, and not ever touch, the bearing shells. So, how can they, or do they, ever wear out? Or have the clearances change over time - which could only happen due to wear? With the mechanism simply spinning, bearings should last forever. But with each piston producing over 100bhp, could that downforce squeeze the oil out and cause some metal-to-metal contact? I do know that a straight-six crank is long enough to flex.
What's the final word on bearings in high-powered RB26s? I know my map is good, that my valves were done right, turbos can be replaced anytime. If I could just trust my bearings, I could really enjoy my car with true peace of mind.
Can anyone give me some sage wisdom from experience? Either to calm me down...or further my paranoia?
But I find myself worrying constantly about my bearings. A lot. I have spent thousands on my oil system, and as far as wet sump RB26 systems go, I don't think anyone has gone further than I have. I watch oil pressure like a hawk - it is the most prominent gauge on my dash. I fret over oil selection, worried about too thin or too thick.
I worry most about sounds. I've finally determined that my boost solenoid fluttering is just that, the boost solenoid. But any ticking or fluttering sounds freak me out. They are barely audible, considering that I've got uprated cams.
Where I realized that I have a problem though, was yesterday when I was stuck in traffic. Oil temps hit nearly 100, and I started to hear a very soft fluttery sound at low RPM. I panicked and pulled off to let the engine cool down and possibly avert a spun bearing disaster.
Now rationally, 100 degrees is the temperature where an oil actually reaches its rated viscosity. So it's not "too hot". Furthermore, should I be panicking over every peep my engine makes, but even my mechanic can't hear, despite detailed descriptions of what I'm "hearing"?
I've spun a bearing before, and it makes a LOT of noise. I guess what I'm wondering is...is there any way to hear that a bearing is on the verge of letting go?
And what about preemptive reshelling of the whole engine? How would you know when to do that? If indeed that's something that ought to be done? I know that drag Skylines need wrist pins replaced fairly often, especially if they haven't been upgraded to 22mm.
Bearing shells seem like something that would be very simple to lock into place. When rebuilding my engine last year, yeah, they snap into place, but I just stared at the design and wondered why wasn't there something very simple, like locking notches, to really pin them down?
Or how about this question - I've done everything possible I can think of to make for happy bearings - they were sized correctly, they get plenty of oil. I preoil the engine with 2 bars of oil pressure before starting it up. Now, the conrods and crank are supposed to float over, and not ever touch, the bearing shells. So, how can they, or do they, ever wear out? Or have the clearances change over time - which could only happen due to wear? With the mechanism simply spinning, bearings should last forever. But with each piston producing over 100bhp, could that downforce squeeze the oil out and cause some metal-to-metal contact? I do know that a straight-six crank is long enough to flex.
What's the final word on bearings in high-powered RB26s? I know my map is good, that my valves were done right, turbos can be replaced anytime. If I could just trust my bearings, I could really enjoy my car with true peace of mind.
Can anyone give me some sage wisdom from experience? Either to calm me down...or further my paranoia?
