labrat Posted November 4, 2004 Share Posted November 4, 2004 Ok guys, can you help me out with this one? I have an 89 stang LX 5.0, and I just had a very bad thing happen. The rear bearing on it is, um... Toast. No copper left at all. I checked the mains from front to back, and the first one looks great, the next 3 are all copper, but the last one doesn't even have any copper left. I noticed that oil pressure would drop at idle (like, to 0), but any rpms at all would bring it right back up to the green zone. After a little while, though (like 10 miles maybe) oil pressure wouldn't come up till 1000 rpm, then 1200, then 1500, then 2000, then screeching bearing death. The car sat with a blown headgasket (no coolant in oil, though) for maybe 2 years or so before I bought it. I changed out the headgaskets, put a new cam and lifters in it, and thought that would do it. The cam had a lobe eaten off where the roller bearings in the lifter failed and another lifter had galled the roller surface (i'm guessing this is all due to oil starvation). What I would like to know is what could have caused this? Is it just excesive clearances in the bearings? It was running fine when the headgaskets went. What could have caused my oil pressure problems? When I first noticed teh problem, I dropped the pan and replaced the oil pump, but that did nothing. I'm ready to put new bearings in and get the crank turned, but I wanna make sure this isn't going to happen again. Any input would be greatly appreciated! Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
y-not Posted November 5, 2004 Share Posted November 5, 2004 Bill, Sounds like a plug in the oil passages in the engine. I bought a 280Z that sat for a few years, got it running, then the cam/lifters were dry. Turns out the oil had turned to wax and blocked everything. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_hunt Posted November 5, 2004 Share Posted November 5, 2004 If it wiped out a cam lobe and you didn't do a complete engine tear down then that is why it's doing what it is doing. Definately, got a plug or restriction somewhere. It's a wonder it didn't seize. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
labrat Posted November 7, 2004 Author Share Posted November 7, 2004 Well, I didn't do a complete teardown, but i did pull the motor and pan and cleaned the metal out, epoxied a rare-earth magnet in the pan to catch any left over metal, and replaced the oil pump with a high volume unit just in case.... Which did, exactly, DICK. Got a new shortblock from the machine shop today, now in the process of swapping all the hardware from the old motor. It was great, the motor was in my garage, and me and my girlfriend absolutely RAPED that motor and had it down to the rotating assembly + block in 1.5 hours flat. She was breaking bolts loose with the breaker bar, and I was following behind her with the electric drill. Every bolt and small piece of hardware was bagged and tagged in ziploc bags. I've never had a motor come apart like that one. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 305240 Posted December 26, 2004 Share Posted December 26, 2004 Something a lot of people overlook during a small block ford home rebuild is the cam bearings. For some reason many people think these last forever. When they start it up and run it for awhile they still don't have the oil pressure they think they should....go figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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