removing pilot bearing
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 8,319
Likes: 1
From: North Carolina
removing pilot bearing alright, i have everything but something to remove the pilot bearing. napa has a tool for it but i have to buy it, i wanna just rent it out. called up auto zone and dude didnt know what the hell he was talkin about. what exactly do i need to call up auto zone and ask for? like i said i want to rent it not buy it
At AutoZone, it's a pilot bearing puller. It's a slide hammer and a pair of small jaws.
The one from AutoZone is a little big for ours, but if you take a hammer & chisel, you can knock a slot in the pilot bearing and jam the slide hammer in there - the needle bearings will fall out, and just jam the puller in there, twist, and start hammering
(that's what I did). I have used the AutoZone one. Hopefully you won't end up talking to an idiot. 
Under no circumstances do the "pack it with grease" trick. The LS1 crank is hollow and there's a freeze plug right behind the pilot bearing. Some folks have tried, and have ended up putting this freeze plug in the oil pan.
The one from AutoZone is a little big for ours, but if you take a hammer & chisel, you can knock a slot in the pilot bearing and jam the slide hammer in there - the needle bearings will fall out, and just jam the puller in there, twist, and start hammering
(that's what I did). I have used the AutoZone one. Hopefully you won't end up talking to an idiot. Under no circumstances do the "pack it with grease" trick. The LS1 crank is hollow and there's a freeze plug right behind the pilot bearing. Some folks have tried, and have ended up putting this freeze plug in the oil pan.
I got the autozone one and walked over to the bench grinder with the puller and a new pilot bearing. I ground it down until it fit the new pilot bearing.
Of course, you can't get your 20 bucks back for the puller but it was worth it... to me anyway.
Of course, you can't get your 20 bucks back for the puller but it was worth it... to me anyway.
TECH Addict
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,659
Likes: 1
From: Bellevue, Wa
Under no circumstances do the "pack it with grease" trick. The LS1 crank is hollow and there's a freeze plug right behind the pilot bearing. Some folks have tried, and have ended up putting this freeze plug in the oil pan.
