HELP!! Have 18 barrel shaped bearings on oil drain plug!!
07-07-2003, 12:11 PM
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Re: HELP!! Have 18 barrel shaped bearings on oil drain plug!! Man, I hate to keep reading this thread. 
The seal looks like a freeze plug, it's ~1" diameter, and it sits behind the pilot bearing about 1.5" in. You must get it from a GM dealer (AutoZone sells a 1" plug, but it's a very slight ooch too small). It's about $5. Ask me how I know.
If the seal is in the oil pan, then the back of your motor is basically open to the world - and to clutch dust. You may start slinging oil on to the clutch. You can see crank journals and rods through the hole when the seal and pilot bearing are not there.
Now here's the ugly part.
Sounds like you need to pull the clutch, pull the pilot bearing, stick a new crank gallery oil plug in there (I don't remember the exact depth, but it is spec'd in the Helm manual, I can repost tonight), stick a new pilot bearing in there... And drop the oil pan and get the plug out (and any remaining roller bearings). I would not run the motor as-is.
Sorry about that...
-Andrew
The seal looks like a freeze plug, it's ~1" diameter, and it sits behind the pilot bearing about 1.5" in. You must get it from a GM dealer (AutoZone sells a 1" plug, but it's a very slight ooch too small). It's about $5. Ask me how I know.
If the seal is in the oil pan, then the back of your motor is basically open to the world - and to clutch dust. You may start slinging oil on to the clutch. You can see crank journals and rods through the hole when the seal and pilot bearing are not there.
Now here's the ugly part.
Sounds like you need to pull the clutch, pull the pilot bearing, stick a new crank gallery oil plug in there (I don't remember the exact depth, but it is spec'd in the Helm manual, I can repost tonight), stick a new pilot bearing in there... And drop the oil pan and get the plug out (and any remaining roller bearings). I would not run the motor as-is.
Sorry about that...
-Andrew
07-07-2003, 10:03 PM
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Re: HELP!! Have 18 barrel shaped bearings on oil drain plug!! Camaroholic I would appreciate it if you never talked to me again!!! Man you should really look into being a motovational speaker!! You may the voice reason. I was just wondering how in the heck does this seal get into the oil pan? IF its about 1in diameter then you are saying there is holes in the crank big enough for it to go through? How in the heck does this crank not fly apart being hollow and having 1in gapping holes in it? No answer to the question about taking the crank bolt out and pushing the plug in from the front? As for the plug in the oil pan I hate you plug and all you are about!
Man you should really look into being a motovational speaker!! You may the voice reason. I was just wondering how in the heck does this seal get into the oil pan? IF its about 1in diameter then you are saying there is holes in the crank big enough for it to go through? How in the heck does this crank not fly apart being hollow and having 1in gapping holes in it? No answer to the question about taking the crank bolt out and pushing the plug in from the front? As for the plug in the oil pan I hate you plug and all you are about!
07-08-2003, 06:41 AM
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Re: HELP!! Have 18 barrel shaped bearings on oil drain plug!! No way to do it from the front. Not going to happen.
The crank is hollow. Lighter rotating mass, better fuel economy and performance, blah blah blah. It does indeed have a 1" hole through the middle of the crank, at least on that rear journal.
Don't feel bad, I almost did the same thing... Although I did not put the plug in the pan (and yours may not be, it may just be wedged in there sideways or something), it was well on its way when I realized that "hey, this pilot bearing ain't moving"... Then I saw oil trickling out from the pilot bearing area. Found that I'd moved the plug in about 3/4". I knocked it sideways, pulled it out, and replaced it with a fresh one (first trying the AutoZone one, and finding that it was too small, damn near lost that one in the pan).
I'll go away now.
Seriously, good luck.-Andrew
