{"id":13142,"date":"2021-03-24T22:37:22","date_gmt":"2021-03-25T02:37:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/maxtorqueperformance.com\/staging\/?p=13142"},"modified":"2021-03-24T23:08:08","modified_gmt":"2021-03-25T03:08:08","slug":"checking-engine-bearing-clearances-without-breaking-the-bank","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/maxtorqueperformance.com\/staging\/index.php\/2021\/03\/24\/checking-engine-bearing-clearances-without-breaking-the-bank\/","title":{"rendered":"Checking Engine Bearing Clearances Without Breaking The Bank"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By\u00a0<\/span>TODD SILVEY<\/a><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>MARCH 14, 2021<\/span><\/div>\n<\/header>\n

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When building or performing maintenance on the engine in your hot rod, checking your engine\u2019s bearing clearances is a great practice while you are \u201cknuckles deep.\u201d Not only is it advisable to check the visible condition of your main and rod bearings, but it is also a good practice to see how the tolerances are holding up.<\/p>\n

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The cost-effective option, primarily known by its product name, Plastigage, is constructed from a special extruded wax plastic with accurately controlled crush properties. This fine plastic thread precisely crushes to repeatable dimensions depending on the tolerances between the bearing and crankshaft.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n


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Reasonably Priced Tool<\/strong><\/p>\n

For big horsepower applications, generally defined at 800-horsepower and above, working with your bottom-end bearing clearances suggests using highly accurate micrometers and dial bore gauges to ensure proper clearances. While these tools can be great for an engine builder, they are not typically considered \u201caverage\u201d tools every enthusiast has in the arsenal.<\/p>\n

MAHLE Aftermarket Incorporated<\/a>\u00a0recently took over the United States production of Plastigage, and Dan Begle from MAHLE provided his take on its practical applications with performance engines.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn reference to your 800-horsepower fundamentals for Plastigage, that\u2019s probably a good number,\u201d says Begle. \u201cI\u2019m not sure if horsepower levels are a huge issue; it depends on the engine builder or machine shop you trust. If you talk to someone who builds a considerable number of performance engines, they\u2019re probably using precision gauges.\u201d<\/p>\n

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