My '77 RB Midget 1500 has 53,500 miles. As far as I know, the engine has not
been rebuilt, although it has been through a few owners and it's possible it
has been.
I have a newly rebuilt engine ready to go in, but I hate to pull out a
perfectly good engine until the time is right to do so. The one in the car
runs great. Oil pressure starts out at about 60 when it's cold, when hot
it's about 40-50 at cruise and 10 at idle. I can't hear any unusual sounds -
the engine sounds good to my untrained ear.
I understand the 1500 engines are typically in need of rod and main bearings
at 50,000 miles. How do I know when the time has come? Is the oil pressure
OK at the above figures? Will there be unmistakeable knocks, rattles and/or
vibrations that I won't miss? If I inadvertently drive past the time when
the mains and rod bearings need replacement, is there a risk of damaging the
engine beyond the point of rebuilding? What should I listen for? Any
foolproof way of telling the condition of the engine other than listening to
it?
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