I'm gonna opt out of question number 1 as I'm a 4 banger TR owner
>1. Can I remove the main bearings and conrod bearings at the same time?
>Or
>does one have to be done first?
>
>2. What's a "journal"? (Is it the slot/area/depression the bearings fit
>into?).
The journals are what the big end connecing rods are bolted to.
Also I believe they are the parts of the crankshaft that ride in
the bearings.
>
>3. My factory manual warns "Do not permit the crankshaft to remain
>unsupported for longer than is necessary [while the main bearings are
>out]...". Okay, fine. But how do I support it? Lord knows I'm supporting
>it financially - I suspect that isn't enough, right?
The factory doesn want the crank shaft to get bent or bowed, I
suppose. The main bearings support the crank shaft along its
length (I think it's probably more of an issue the longer your
crank shaft is).
>
>4. Oh [expletive deleted]!!!! I almost forgot my most important question!
>I FOUND METAL THINGS IN THE BOTTOM OF MY OIL PAN. That's not a good sign
>is
>it? I can't take a picture of them (well, I could but it wouldn't do you
>any good) but I can describe them so maybe someone out there will know what
>it/they are? Picture the shiny-silver wings of a delta-wing airplane.
>Only
>a LOT smaller (circa 1 inch tip to tip) and there's a small
>cylinder-shaped
>thing that goes in-between the wings. I looked at the pictures in my
>manual
>and parts catalogs to no avail. Nothing looked like what I found. There
>were three wings and one cylinder in the oil pan.
>
These are probably shavings from somewhere in the engine itself.
This may be a "bad thing". I would look at the crank shaft and the
faces of the main bearings to see if these shavings came from
there. These would be bright spots in the crank casting and engine
block webbing that hold the crank. Look at your oil pump and its
related parts. If you don't see any evidence of abnormal wear or
damage then the bits came from "somewhere else". The cam should be
checked as well as the lifters and valve train.
the journal
Remember, "Things take more time than they do... and generally
cost more than they ought to...
Best of luck,
Greg Petrolati Champaign, Illinois 1962 TR4 (CT4852L)
That's not a leak... My car's just marking its territory...
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