Needle bearings in oil?
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 46
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From: Lancaster,Pennsylvania
Needle bearings in oil? So last Saturday I found needle bearings on my drain plug I changed out all the rockers the next day looked in the heads for any that didn't reached the oil pan yet. Three sets of bearings failed don't know why all three would fail at the same time. Car runs fine will I see any damage on my bottom end because of this later on?
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 337
Likes: 1
From: Murray, KY
I wouldn't think you would, they should have ran to the bottom of the engine and be running around if your oilpan. I wouldn't think the oil pump/strainer would pick them up being they are so small but heavy enough to stay on the bottom of the oil pan. What I would do is get a pretty strong magnet and run across the oilpan in a organized fashion working your way to the drain plug and see how many bearing you find. Magnet, steel bearings, move to oilpan.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 46
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From: Lancaster,Pennsylvania
Yeah they ate to big to go back into the oil pick up but my concern is will the crank throw them around. I'm still missing two end caps and about 20 needle bearings. Ive been keeping track of them. I'll do the magnet thing tonight. And want to check the drain plug tonight with out draning the new oil
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TECH Apprentice
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 337
Likes: 1
From: Murray, KY
Yeah in all honesty, the BEST thing to do is pull the engine and pull the oilpan and heads and count until you find them all. It's a hassle but if you don't and chance it, you may get lucky but you may end up pulling for a rebuild.
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had one rocker fail on my car. never did find some of the needles.... I did the magnetic thing and found a few more in the oil pan. I also took a magnet on a stick thing and fished around each pushrod hole to look for more. Didn't find any. knock on wood, car has been fine ever since. I do also have the trunion upgrade now. Its a gamble by not pulling the pan or heads. I would not be concerned about the pan, but if you have a needle in the lifter tray, that could be a problem. I was not going to pull my motor all appart. Also, like the others said, I don't see how the needles could get sucke up into the oil pick up tube. If they did, your oil pump will be toast first....
I want to duck tape magnets to the oil pan 
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,343
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From: Katy, TX
As in ,,,,inside 1 or more of the p-rods ,,,,,,,,,,,,not possible unless You put them there . They could do a # on You're camshaft ,,,,,,,,,,pain in the arss to find them all but if You don't ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,the consequences could prove expensive ,,,,,,,,,even if You have to remove engine
Not sure if you know anyone with a borescope but you might be able to look deeper into the motor with one. If they went down the pushrod holes they will ride on top of the lifter as they can't pass unless you have drilled trays. Shine a bright light down the pushrod holes past the pushrods near where the rockers failed and see if you can see anything.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 46
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From: Lancaster,Pennsylvania
Yeah don't know where to get one of them but would be nice. I'm thinking of pulling the covers off this weekend and sticking a magnet down the pushrod holes to see if anything is down there. Hoping it didn't jam up any lifters because I don't think it's easy to pull the heads to replace them
NOTE!!!!! be very careful with the magnet on an antenna thing. Make sure the lifter in in the down position to make sure the magnet will not get stuck or pinched between the top of the tray and the top of the lifter. Ask me how I know...... It was on the very last hole and of course on the back cylinder.... Went to pull it back up and it was stuck. wiggled it gently and did not try pulling. Just when it felt like it was free, I pull it out and there is NO MAGNET on the end!! I was out of my f'ing mind!!! Thought I was going to have to pull the head to get it out. Long story short, I looked at my old motor with no heads and was able to see what the tray and suff looked like, rotated the engine to get the lifter to go down and then used one of those magic finger things to reach down in the pushrod hole and retrieve the magnet. turns out it was the entire 4 " long sick that came out of the end of the antenna magnet thing. I got lucky!!
