All diesel crankshafts are heat treated. Some diesel cranks are nitrided. Nitriding is a process that introduces nitrogen into the surface of the steel at an extremely high temperature. This heat treating is done to increase wear resistance, improve fatigue and obtain a high surface hardness. Because of this process the crankshaft is extremely hard but also brittle. When an engine has a bearing failure, the excessive clearance can cause the crank to have a “jump rope” effect inside the engine. The crankshaft can bend severely or even break in some cases. In cases where a nitrided crankshaft is bent, it is usually not recommended to straighten. Attempts to do so could cause in internal and external cracks which would result in another crankshaft failure.

So, you have a broken crankshaft and it needs replacing. What now? Well you could just buy a new or remanfactured crank and install it, but it’s not that simple. Remember the “jump rope” effect inside the engine? Well that not only causes damage to the crank but also causes damage to the housing bores of the connecting rods and mains in the engine block. Because the crank jumps around in the engine, the crankshaft can pull on the housing bores of the connecting rods and engine block. The massive amount of torque from the jumping crank can also stretch the bolts and distort the bores. Main caps can become loose in the registers causing misalignment.

It is never a good idea to just swap the crankshaft out and put a new one back in without properly checking these housing bores. The most accurate way to do so is by using a dial bore gauge. Calipers won’t cut it here. In many case the engine must be pulled out of the machine in order to get an accurate measurement. If you do not have a dial bore gauge then you should strip the block and bring it with the connecting rods to your local machine shop. They can check all of the housing bores to see if they are out of round. If they are, usually they can correct them. By not doing this you are risking another crankshaft failure. Housing bores that are out of round will give you improper bearing clearance. Improper bearing clearance can cause premature bearing failure and in a worst case scenario, another broken crankshaft.

On TruckEngineParts.com we will be making some slight design changes to help you when browsing for parts. These changes will make it much easier for customers looking for something as elaborate as an engine inframe kit, or something as simple as a gasket set. So keep checking back to TEP for these changes.

If you have been following us on Twitter you might also know that we are designing and will soon be remodeling our storefront here at our machine shop. Once it is complete we will have pictures up for you to see. This remodel will consist of new offices and workspace that will help streamline our operation. We will have more information for you in the coming months.

Sometimes you get into a job where you don’t need the whole engine kit. That’s not a problem. If you need just rod bearings and a gasket set or maybe just a set of rings. We can do it.

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MAHLE Clevite made a commitment to offer a full line of engine kits. They also made a commitment to support the kits the way they support every part they’ve ever sold. When you buy a MAHLE Clevite engine kit, you’re not just buying parts in a box. You’re buying a philosophy of service that extends to every division of MAHLE.

Before they even consider putting a part in their kits, it must meet stringent guidelines. It must live up to the MAHLE Clevite name. That’s why you’ll find the names you trust in every kit – MAHLE Original® engine parts, Clevite® engine bearings, Perfect Circle® rings and Victor Reinz® gaskets.

You don’t have had to settle for engine kits that are not backed by the kind of service, or packed with the quality parts you can only get from MAHLE Clevite. But with a full line of quality engine kits at competitive prices, you’ll never have to “settle” again.

Agkits has been selling and using Clevite engine parts for over 20 years. We use these parts in many of our engine rebuilds. Clevite’s superior quality gives us peace of mind when we send engines out the door. We know they won’t be coming back.

Once you get your components back and are ready to assemble it is crucial that you make sure all oil holes and passages are spotless. Remove any foreign material, dirt, dust or grit from machining or transport. When an engine is assembled, clearances are tight. Because of this you don’t want any debris on any engine part or component. Use solvent or mineral spirits with a brush to clean out any oil holes in the crankshaft and engine block. Then using compressed air blow them dry.

After all of the components are clean. Install the camshaft bearings in the block making sure that all oil holes line up. Some engines only use one front only cam bearing. Others use none at all. In rare cases, camshaft bearings need to be line bored to fit the camshaft. Remove any burs that may have scraped off of the outside of the bearing while installing. Metal filings are just as bad as dirt if not worse. Using assembly oil, lube up the journals of the camshaft and install it. Check to make sure it spins freely and there are not interference issues. If there is any tightness, you may need to clearance the cam bearings yourself with a bearing scraper or fine grit sandpaper. This happens sometimes when engine block castings is called core shift. Core shift happens the casting shifts in the mold. This can throw factory machining off causing bores to be slightly off.

Next you should install the top half of the rear main seal (skip this step for one piece seals) as well as the top halves of all the main bearing shells. Also install the bottom bearings into the main bearing caps. When installing wipe the main bores out with solvent or mineral spirits. Use a lint free rag or paper towel to ensure no foreign material get inside the engine. Check and wipe the backsides of the bearing shells as well. Dirt or debris behind he bearing can hold the bearing up and cause improper bearing clearance and could cause the crank to not turn over during assembly. Lube the inserts in the block with assembly oil and carefully lower the crankshaft into the block. Once the crankshaft is in place install the main caps and torque them in place. Be sure to torque them to the proper torque value and make sure they are not on backwards. Main caps can only go one way and can only go on in a certain order. The main caps should be numbered so that you know what position they go in. In most cases the bearing notches are aligned on the same side. This does not hold true in all engines so be sure to check during disassembly. All bearing clearances should be checked prior to assembly, but should also be checked at this stage as well. Now that the crankshaft is installed in the block it is a good idea to check the end play.

Install the cam timing components. There may be gears, gear and chain, or belt and sprockets for these components. Be sure to line up any timing marks according to factory specifications. Usually any timing gear will have a dot or line that must be properly lined up.

Prior to installing the piston rings, place a ring in the in the cylinder and using feeler gauges check the piston ring end gap. When installing the piston rings on the piston, install the expander first. Then install the top and bottom scraper rings. These rings are flexible so you can usually install the by hand. Using a ring expander install the remaining compression rings. It is important that you use the expander because the compression rings are brittle and can break easily. The top compression ring should be marked so that you know which way is up. If it is not the ring should be installed with the chamfer up.

Now install the lower connecting rod bearings in the rod caps and the uppers in the rod. Again wipe both the backs of the bearings and connecting rod saddles to make sure there is no dirt or debris. In some cases there is an oil squirt hole in the connecting rod. That hole is used to lubricate the camshaft so when installing the piston and rod assembly that should go towards the cam. However the pistons should be marked with a notch or arrow which will point to the front of the engine. Stagger the piston ring gaps and lubricate the piston skirts with assembly oil. Also lubricate the bearing shell in the connecting rod.  Then compress the piston rings using a piston ring compressor. It is a good idea to use a bolt boot or a piece of rubber tube to put over the connecting rod bolt. This will prevent accidental damage to the crankshaft when installing the piston and rod assembly. Any nick or ding on the crankshaft will damage the bearing and put metal debris into the engine. If bad enough it may prevent you from turning the engine over during assembly.

Lower each piston into each cylinder. Make sure that the cylinder you are working on is at bottom dead center. Use a rubber or dead blow mallet to gently tap the piston into the cylinder. If necessary you may need to re-tighten the ring compressor. Should a piston ring pop out of the compressor, loosen the compressor and start over. Do not force the ring into the cylinder. This can result in a broken ring and an unhappy engine builder. Guide the pistons in from the bottom until the connecting rod seats on the crankshaft. Once this is completed, remove the bolt boots and install the rod cap. Lubricate the bolts and torque it to the proper torque value. Install the oil pump and pickup tube at this stage and torque it to the proper torque value as well.

When installing the cylinder heads, check the gaskets for a “top” and/or “front”. If markings do not exist install the gasket aligning all oil and cooling passages. Make sure that if you are attempting to reuse the head bolts that they are not one time use bolts (torque-to-yield). Also make sure that all of the threads are clean. Check to see if any bolts go into the cooling system and apply sealant to the threads, otherwise use oil. Unless specified never use gasket spray or and type of gasket sealant on the head gaskets. This can prevent the gasket from sealing properly.

Engine contamination is one of the biggest causes in engine failure. So if at any point during the installation you notice that your hands have become dirty, clean them! Washing your hands takes only a couple of minutes but can save you many hours of having to redo the job.

Shop for a cluch kit or clutch parts for your tractor here.

Each tractor repair manual is  easy-to-use. They contains comprehensive specifications and service information and also feature numerous photos, illustrations, and exploded views. Each page is durable & coated so these manuals can stand up to messy shop jobs.

These manuals also include both U.S. standard and metric measurement systems. Each also contains torque specs for each repair. The I&T Tractor Shop Service Manuals will help you get your antique tractor up and running in no time.

Find your Tractor Manual Here

We also offer free priority mail on all manual orders within the continental US.  So getting your manual is fast and easy. Typically they take about 2-3 days to arrive.

FilterMAG™ works by simply placing it onto the outside of the filter housing where the magnetic force automatically snaps it into place. The ultra strong magnetic force starts to work — forcibly trapping unwanted particles “locked” against the inside walls of your traditional filter.

For more information or to purchase a FilterMag product, click the link below.

http://www.agkits.com/filter-magnets.aspx

Find the gasket set for your tractor or truck here.