96 Beretta Project

[3400-95-Modified]

1) I do not have two on me right now to verify that measurement... it looked like 1/8" wider when I did hand comparison before. The SBC ones yes stick out a tiny bit in some areas, the journal is not the same width the whole way around. Also stock bearings sit inside the bore some

2)

You can see here how they don't fully fill the journal.



3) Yes, because you need to remove the lifters to take the cam out, unless you flip the motor over, but then you can't see how far your putting the bearings in, and most likely the lifters will get in the way.

4)I used silicone around the coolant ports yes, and I haven't had a leak start yet.

[IsaacHayes]

1) How much shorter are the stock bearings to the SBC ones?
2) I see the SBC bearings come outside a bit of the block holes. Do the stock ones sit flush with the holes in the block (not sure of terminology here) or do they not come to the edges?
3) LIM must be removed to change cam correct?
4) When putting on the timing cover gasket, do you use the bare paper gasket, or coat it with RTV? I ask because on the 3100 I used RTV on both sides and it sprung a bad coolant leak when temps got to single digits.
5) What do you put to seal around the bolt threads that go into the timing cover that go into open coolant areas?

[3400-95-Modified]

A few updates.

Cam bearings in... Hard to see but gives you a general idea that the whole journal is touched by the new bearings















And some pics of the short block back together.

[3400-95-Modified]

I just put my bottom end together last night (crank only right now) and dropped in my cam bearings... damn that wasn't easy... Since I'm using a 350 install tool and the 350 bearings in a 3400 block, the install die is just ever-so slightly over-sized for the final bearing install diameter (the mains are a bit smaller than a 350 so when installed it compresses the bearing just a little bit more) and I forgot to sand it down before doing the first bearing, so getting the die back out and not causing any damage was a chore... after that I took some 500 grit to it just to bring down the little machine lines on the die and that helped get the rest in... I also had issues with the main support on the install tool, its held in place with a roll pin and that bent and broke after I got the last bearing in... Cheap Ebay cam bearing install tools FTL!!... But in the end with the cam back in I could see the cam journals were 100% supported by bearing now, and not just the middle's. And hopefully these bearings last longer than the sealed power ones did.

Today is piston cleaning at lunch time at work, and then I can hopefully get those in soon so I can then do the cam and lifters and chain, and then be done with the short block and wrap that up... Then I can concentrate on the porting which makes a MESS... That's why I want to get all the parts in the motor that need to stay clean. I did one head already and with all my parts covered I still had to spend a little extra time cleaning them... so Its time to just get them in and out of the mess.

I still have a trans to inspect/freshen after this...

I also just dropped 250 on MLS headgaskets and a crank scraper... MONEY PITS!!! lol

Pics later this week maybe.

Gotta go take down some trees tomorrow... Heating my garage isn't free, labor wise... But the wood is If I help my father-inlaw take down trees for friends he said I can have all the wood I want... The latest guy wanted about 4-5 cord of wood removed from his property... awesome!

[3400-95-Modified]

I want to clarify that's EXACTLY what my stock 3400 cam bearings looked like after 15k of abuse with my Milzy cam. There was NO pitting like all these sealed power ones have done to me.

Little update, here is my porting progress.

What I started with and did two years ago to gasket match...




This is what I have now, thanks to the insight of Dave and Ben.





Still gotta work it a bit more but for the most part this port is about done.

[Superdave]

I wonder how my 235,000 3100 bearings look?

probably about like mine.

[IsaacHayes]

I wonder how my 235,000 3100 bearings look?

[Superdave]

hey, those look just like my old 3400 bearings

the ones with over 90K on them?

[RedBird]

hey, those look just like my old 3400 bearings

[Superdave]

yep, maybe 3K miles with the cam, around 4K total. stock 3500 bearings.

[pocket-rocket]

And for clarification, those were stock GM bearings, Dave?

[Superdave]

#1 bearing (ouch)




#2.. just worn



#3, just worn



#4 looked fine.


guess i'll be replacing these with SBC bearings in the spring...


Cam looked fine.

[mfuller]

Shit.....I had my motor built with Sealed Power cam bearings also.
Screw it......I'll just drive it until it dies and then have Ben build it bigger and stronger.

[pocket-rocket]

Suddenly getting bent over at the dealership for bearings doesn't look like such a bad idea. Pucker up!

[Superdave]

damn you guys, now i'm going to have to go pull out my cam.


pics in a little while.