4.0 Rod Bearings

Hey all. Basically got some new rod bearings, Clevite-77, and went to install them, due to the bearings in my 99' junk yard motor got eaten up, and found that my stock bearings have a small half moon cut-out in the center of the bearing opposite the locking tab at the edge. Clevite-77 bearings I got don't have this. Checked the part #'s from several resources and they are correct. Small cut-out is so oil can squirt out towards the cam side of the engine and lubricate the cylinder wall and the cam. I contacted Clevite - waiting for an answer. Just curious if anyone has any input.
Thanks a bunch.
Erich

Doesn't the rod need to have a matching groove to allow the oil to flow through? If it doesn't have a passageway, just run the Clevites.

4.0 rod have a cut out on the camshaft side to squirt oil out of. I got an e-mail from Clevite though. Said they eliminated the squirt hole because there is enough oil spray from the crank to lubricate everything (according to their engineers). There are a number of bearings they did this with according to the tech literature they sent me. I'm going to install them and see what happens.
Erich

Note to Erich: Update your sig :wave:

im running the clevite bearings, no probs yet

tealcherokee said:

im running the clevite bearings, no probs yet

Click to expand...

Are they the new ones? - I'll attempt to post the tech bulliten they sent me later. Basically as of 9/17/2003 their bearings no longer have the oiling hole. I found out last night I got 2 sets mfg. before that date and they have the hole, the newer sets don't.
Erich

Eric,

I'm rebuilding my 4.0 after losing a Crane cam at 10,000 miles. The Clevite rod bearings I just bought did not have the squirt holes that my previous Clevite rod bearings had. So I filed-in squirt holes in the new rod bearings using the previous Clevites as a pattern. I just primed the engine with an electric drill and saw 60 psi on a pressure gauge, so I should have good oil pressure when it fires. I really wonder if Clevite tested their new rod bearings (without squirt holes) in a real engine. I suspect they just eliminated the squirt holes in the rod bearings to save manufacturing costs. AMC put those squirt holes in there for a good reason, i.e to direct oil at the cam. Since my original engine died at 378,000 miles, and the original cam was in great shape, I think AMC engineers knew what they were doing.

Likewise, though Crane replaced their defective cam/lifters etc., I decided not to use it because the lobe widths/drive gear width were not as wide as the original OEM cam. Again, AMC engineers used wide cam lobes/large lifter diameters/wide drive gear for good reasons. Instead I had Comp Cams regrind an original AMC OEM cam for me. I'll be firing my engine up in a few days, so we'll see how it runs.

Best regards,

CJR