I'm assuming you're working on a TR6 block? The TR6 only had half thrust
washers on it and the one which you think was a problem may have been
machined to accept another half, usually on the flywheel side. If it was
done this way, the extra half was probably pinned to keep it in place. If
the washer has rotated on the cap, the easy fix would be to install another
half thrust washer on it now to give you more surface area.
If the cap is grooved and scored, the end play on your crankshaft must have
been about .25" to get it to rotate and break and fall out. Your lucky you
caught it when you did, the next thing that happens is the front side thrust
washer falls out and the crankshaft can then move backwards and hit the
block. This can wreck a block or crank or both.
The bearing caps aren't usually interchangeable with out line boring the
block and the caps ( so my machine shop says).
I'd opt to do the extra thrust washer and I usually try to go to the tighter
side of the tolerances, I believe .003".
Charly
----- Original Message -----
From: "Scott Janzen" <s.janzen@comcast.net>
To: <fot@autox.team.net>
Sent: Monday, May 31, 2004 8:50 AM
Subject: #4 Main thrust Bearing Question
> I pulled the pan off of the engine to replace a leaky pan gasket. Found
> nasty looking metal chips that appeared to be a thrust bearing. Now I'm
> looking at the main bearing cap on the engine. It has a groove on the
> flywheel side that would appear to accept a thrust bearing. The manual
only
> seems to show thrust bearings in the block., not one on the flywheel side
of
> the cap as well, and there was only a bearing installed in the block. It
is
> also clear that the bearing has been rotating through the cap (cap's all
> scored in this groove). Now, I pull the bearing cap off of a spare engine.
> No groove for a thrust washer, so the cap keeps the bearing from rotating,
> and the bearings in the block take all the thrust.
> Which is correct? Did Triumph change things along the way? Can I switch
> bearing caps between engines, or was the cap machined in place?
> Fortunately, the crank bearing surfaces (all three of them) look fine, as
> does the journal bearing.
>
> Help! Thought I would be putting the engine back in the car today, but it
> does not look good at the moment.
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