Technical Bearing prep before install?

Hello. As noted in my intro, this board has become a routine result in Google searches I have done. I have learned a lot, but joined this evening as I have a question I cannot find the answer to.
How do I prep engine bearings prior to installation? I bought a set of "royal" engine bearings, and wiped them down with acetone with a natural bristle brush, then blasted them with non-chlorinated Brakleen (found this process in another forum). It frosted the bearing surface white, repeating the process removed most of the white coating, which resembled aluminum oxidation. Spraying one of the bearings with Gumout Carb cleaner turned it a dull gray. The customer service person was not helpful, even after I sent photos he requested.
What solvent is good to wipe the packaging oil from bearing without harming them? What processes do you guys use?
Thanks for your help!

 

Haha !!

Thru the yrs I've heard different ways of doing it along with "this won't work" "that won't work" stories BUT this is how I've done all the motors I've built.

I take a piece of scotch brite pad along with kerosene (or equivalent) and clean the bearings good, then use a spray cleaner, brake kleen/carb cleaner etc, and shoot and wipe with old t-shirt.

At that point I coat them with a mix of engine honey (napa) and lubriplate mixed together. I install and move on to the next one....

Over 12 engines built this way and never had a failure...

 

Wipe them with a clean rag and install them....

 

Spray with WD-40 then message surface with thumb until no more gray in fluid appears. Wipe clean then put into place.

 

I’ve just wiped them with paper towel stuck them in and a bit of motor honey or Lukas for lube.

I don’t build race engines but I’ve built a bunch of different stuff over the years, never a failure.


If I’m doing it wrong SHHHHHHHH Don’t tell my engines !

I woukd not spray brake clean on a bearing or anything that rough and tough


Maybe varsol or thinners but that’s about it .

 

Wipe them with a dry tee shirt rag. Apply pro-long assembly lube (currently) on the bearing surface and assemble.

 

I'm a scotch brite man myself. Been doing it that way 35 years. Carb cleaner, clean rag.

 

Do you really think embedding all those scotchbright abrasive particles into the soft bearing surface is a good idea?

 

It all depends on the grit of the Scotchbrite pad .

Although I don’t do this,,,,I have read many years ago where some really big name guys in the racing scene did prep the bearings with Scotchbrite .

I’m like most of the others,,,,,I just wipe them down good,,,,and inspect for any defects.
Use some really good lube,,,,,,( wink,,wink,,),,,,,and as Gleason used to say,,,,,,”And away we go !”,,,,,,lol.

Tommy

 

I rub them with my thumb to remove the bigger chunks of dirt, then pop them in. Then put some oil on them, before the crank goes in, or the cap goes on.

And they last for a long long time.

 

The guy that showed me that was one of the best in my neck of the woods, retired from GM, built all of the hot engines around here, and was a beast himself at the dragstrip. But aside from his talent, i asked him why he did that to new bearings, he told me that he liked the micro scratch that it put into the bearing for lubrication reasons. Now he also taught me the importance of cleanliness on engine assembly. Cleaning every socket and wrench prior to starting, so he wasn't picking up a used old scotch brite pad. I feel comfortable with the way i do things because he taught me, and knock on wood, I've never had an issue with any engine I've built. And I've built a lot of them.

 

The whole Scotchbrite deal was a fad for a while a long time ago, faded away pretty fast but the magazines ran with it, so... A buddy used to be a high-up at Federal Mogul- wanna get him laughing? Mention Scotchbrite. The layers and coatings on bearings are there for a reason, and the bearing manufacturers know a lot more about bearings than any of us. Very clean hands, inspect for bad spots and clean oil for me

 

I’m with squirrel, I take them out of the box first, then install them…engines are really very forgiving.

 

scotchbrite is not like sandpaper that losses it's grit....
I use new fine scotchbrite with clean solvent or kerosene wipe dry, oil em' and go on....
Have never had a problem doing it this way....

LynnW

 

We all do it different. I like my way. It works for me. Doesn't mean anybody has to approve of it. I install my rings on my pistons, and before i stick it in the bore, i put atf on the ring lands. There ya go, run with it

 

I realize the importance of cleanliness, however I’ve built plenty in a shop with a gravel floor. Still going. People get carried away by the horror stories they hear/read.

 

I build mine in a body shop the filler dust is my secret to never having a lifter/ cam failure

 

talc is the secret ingredient?

 

I’ve overhauled hundreds of engines, the majority being heavy duty diesels and I take them out of the box, put a very light coating of 15w-40 on them and if it’s a top main bearing shell, roll it into place. If it’s a connecting rod, or lower main shell, it gets a light coating of Lubriplate 105 and installed. Ive never felt the need to “prep” bearings.

 

So you're the man squirrel, how many sbc engines have you built with just plain ol motor oil as your assembly lube?

 

I can believe that talc helps the rings seat good.

 

enough to know it works. Although cams...they seem to work best with moly grease on the lobes and lifter faces.

The fun comes when you take a used engine apart, that's been sitting a long time. Lots of oil runs out of the holes in the crankshaft.

 

Even with assembly lube which I consider dry oiling because I run a drill motor on every oil pump prior to starting. I believe the assembly lube is washed out anyway. Jim is probably right. 40 yrs ago I used a combo of 20 wt oil and STP. Never lost an engine on startup then either.

 

I use a lot of rubbing alcohol to rinse or wipe stuff down while assembling engines, cheap, easy.
Light coat of lithium grease and motor honey or assembly lube on the bearings. Always figured the lithium would hang in there thru preoiling for start up.

 

I’m with the guys that say clean them and install them. The manufacturers spent plenty of money developing the surface on the bearings so why take a Scotch Brite pad and mess with it.
I think if Clevite, or whoever, wanted them brushed with an abrasive pad they would include one in their packaging.
Oh, and I have used Lubri-Plate on rod and main bearings for decades with never a problem.

 

I take the bearing out of the package and make sure there is no dirt or grit on the bearing. I dip it in fresh oil and rub the backing and bearing surface with my finger and thumb until it feels clean and smooth. Install it and add some lubriplate for good measure. I always pressure up the oil system before starting so I don't expect much but oil is on the bearings when it fires up the first time.

 

We used roloc disks on an air drill to clean gasket surfaces on an engine until it was found the fibers shed from the scotch brite pad destroyed bearing surfaces.

 

I'm with the guys that take them out of the box and install them. I was trained by companies like IH, Cummins & Mack, they would be horrified at the mention of taking a Scotchbright pad to bearings or washing them with brake clean. Officially every heavy duty diesel engine OEM I worked with said lubricate with clean engine oil only, the same that you're going to run in it. I will admit that many of us made up assembly lube of 50/50 engine oil & petroleum jelly and used that for bearings, cams, rockers, etc. But we used petroleum jelly on everything, we bought it in 5 gal bucket sized metal cans, and every mechanic in the place had a coffee can full of it on their roll away, used to lubricate o-rings and hold them in place too. Some guys would bring in a tube of assembly lube from home that was left over from a side job, but that was the exception to the norm. Bearing manufacturers produce their bearings ready to go, they don't need you to do anything to them but lubricate them.

 

I have always understood you leave the coating alone as it is designed to allow small foreign particles to be embedded in the bearing to prevent damaging the crank.

 

https://www.mahle-aftermarket.com/na/en/support/installation-tips/engine-bearing-fitting-tips.jsp