Fitting alien bearing caps to an engine.

davemgb · Post by **davemgb** » Sat Feb 06, 2010 11:11 am

Bit late to this thread but how about this...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT

May or may not be cross bolted but worth a call to check, would leave you with a surplus block ?

DEVONMAN · Post by **DEVONMAN** » Sat Feb 06, 2010 9:53 pm

davemgb wrote:Bit late to this thread but how about this...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT

May or may not be cross bolted but worth a call to check, would leave you with a surplus block ?

Just a word of caution. If you are contemplating getting one of these blocks with a view to undertaking cross bolting you need to check that the block has the external blank bosses AND ALSO the full height main bearing caps inside. Blocks produced between Jan 1994 and April 1994 had the external bosses but had early type caps which are UNSUITABLE for cross bolting.

Regards Denis

topcatcustom · Post by **topcatcustom** » Sat Feb 06, 2010 11:48 pm

Those blocks appear to be 10 bolt, which means they are very late 3.9's or 4.0's, which should mean they were made for X-bolting- might be worth getting some casting numbers. Seems a good price for brand new blocks!

DEVONMAN · Post by **DEVONMAN** » Sun Feb 07, 2010 12:05 am

topcatproduction wrote:Those blocks appear to be 10 bolt, which means they are very late 3.9's or 4.0's, which should mean they were made for X-bolting- might be worth getting some casting numbers. Seems a good price for brand new blocks!

Yes good point, but strange they haven't been snatched up. Still got 40 left??

Cheers Denis

ppyvabw · Post by **ppyvabw** » Sun Feb 07, 2010 1:20 am

topcatproduction wrote:Those blocks appear to be 10 bolt, which means they are very late 3.9's or 4.0's, which should mean they were made for X-bolting- might be worth getting some casting numbers. Seems a good price for brand new blocks!

Well spotted! The engine I have had 10 bolt heads but the block was tapped with 14. So these might be late interim blocks with proper caps. I'll phone tomorrow!

DEVONMAN · Post by **DEVONMAN** » Sun Feb 07, 2010 10:03 am

[quoteWell spotted! The engine I have had 10 bolt heads but the block was tapped with 14. So these might be late interim blocks with proper caps. I'll phone tomorrow![/quote]

Hi Alan,
Everything points to these being the later x-boltable blocks so I hope you can clarify this in the phone call. I may even invest in one myself for a future project. I assume if these are the correct type of block then your project will be based on this block and the cost of line boring and reboring will be saved. I would still consider it necessary to introduce shims when you have it cross bolted but a feeler gauge check will determine this.

Based on the ebay photo these could be 4.0 blocks which will have larger journals but this is unlikely at the price. The 4.0 blocks are basically the same as the 4.6 blocks but generally 4.6 blocks tend to have thicker walls behind the liners (selected by ultrasonic testing) which reduces the inherent liner problems.

Regards Denis

topcatcustom · Post by **topcatcustom** » Sun Feb 07, 2010 11:04 am

If they are ex rover stock they should have colour markings in the vally- which would tell how good they are, as Devonman said, the thickest ones were used for 4.6's then 4.0's and the really thin ones were scrapped... hopefully thats not where these ones came from

If they are good ones I'm tempted too!!!

If you phone ask if they have paint daubs in the valley area and what colour, from memory red is thickest, then yellow (?) then blue (?)

DEVONMAN · Post by **DEVONMAN** » Sun Feb 07, 2010 12:39 pm

topcatproduction wrote:If they are ex rover stock they should have colour markings in the vally- which would tell how good they are, as Devonman said, the thickest ones were used for 4.6's then 4.0's and the really thin ones were scrapped... hopefully thats not where these ones came from

If they are good ones I'm tempted too!!!

If you phone ask if they have paint daubs in the valley area and what colour, from memory red is thickest, then yellow (?) then blue (?)

Just to add that a blue daub on the OUTSIDE of the block at the front has nothing to do with grading.
Also, I believe paint daubs only apply 1997-on.

Regards Denis

ppyvabw · Post by **ppyvabw** » Sun Feb 07, 2010 2:02 pm

Well I phoned him.

They are 3.9 small journal cranks. When I pressed him on the matter of which caps they have he didn't seem to understand that the caps vary between engines.

Maybe if someone else called him, you may have more luck with him.

450 racein · Post by **450 racein** » Thu May 27, 2010 7:51 pm

HI, have a look at new small main x bolted blocks are available on ebay item no-300397434504.

ChrisJC · Post by **ChrisJC** » Fri May 28, 2010 6:53 am

450 racein wrote:HI, have a look at new small main x bolted blocks are available on ebay item no-300397434504.

That's a 3.7" bore (i.e. large bore) block, so it has potential to suffer from the cracking-behind-the-liner problem, and also because it has the smaller crank journals, it can break the crankshaft more easily. I would just get a stock 4.0 / 4.6 bottom end, which at least has the stronger crank.

Chris.