bugeye_fever
New member
Ok, I have another question(have lots, I'll try to space them out) The motor in the car currently has ACL race bearings in it I believe. I know they aren't stock STI for sure. Little over a year ago when I was having the motor built I thought race bearings would be good because I do alot of AutoX and want to get into HPDE, I've been to one. As the year has gone, I've put some miles on the motor and had a chance to see just how my plans have worked out.
I do autoX alot, should make 9 of the 10 events this year, but my budget only allows for really one, maybe 2 at the most HPDE's a year. The car is also my DD and I'll put close to 12k miles on it in a year(its 4 miles from the driveway to the parking lot.) At this point I'm wondering if it was really necessary to put aftermarket bearings in.
Here's the facts: 2.5 hybrid, got 10k on it, stock bore Mahle pistons, stock sti crank and rods, gets AMSIOL SSO 10w-30 at between 3.5-4k. AMSOIL EA type filter.. I don't rev past 6.5-6.7k, and after I upgrade the turbo(~1 year from now), probably won't change that. Don't know what else might be important, let me know if so.
SO, I guess its a 2 part question:
1. (And I'm pretty sure I know the answer to this one, lol) Are race bearings helping or hurting me in my situation?
2. Is it feasable to replace the main bearings without rebuilding the rest of the motor? If its decent idea, can it be done dropping the oil pan w/ the engine in the car?
Reason I ask is that I read somewhere that the difference between race and stock bearings is that racebearings are thinner for more oil flow, but have correspondingly less life. How much less? I don't know(surely depends on how hard the engine is worked,) but I don't want to find out when I spin one and have to replace Alot of stuff, ya dig?
Obviously this question is brought up thinking about my future budget, but I will do what is necessary to keep the engine healthy, just a matter of money being spent in the right places, not wasted you know? Thanks a bunch guys, and if there are any higher milage guys with aftermarket bearings, feel free to tell me to. "quite fing worrying about it!" lol Though I feel that parts of this may be of help to people who are honest with themselves on their goals and thinking about that built motor.
Ray
I do autoX alot, should make 9 of the 10 events this year, but my budget only allows for really one, maybe 2 at the most HPDE's a year. The car is also my DD and I'll put close to 12k miles on it in a year(its 4 miles from the driveway to the parking lot.) At this point I'm wondering if it was really necessary to put aftermarket bearings in.
Here's the facts: 2.5 hybrid, got 10k on it, stock bore Mahle pistons, stock sti crank and rods, gets AMSIOL SSO 10w-30 at between 3.5-4k. AMSOIL EA type filter.. I don't rev past 6.5-6.7k, and after I upgrade the turbo(~1 year from now), probably won't change that. Don't know what else might be important, let me know if so.
SO, I guess its a 2 part question:
1. (And I'm pretty sure I know the answer to this one, lol) Are race bearings helping or hurting me in my situation?
2. Is it feasable to replace the main bearings without rebuilding the rest of the motor? If its decent idea, can it be done dropping the oil pan w/ the engine in the car?
Reason I ask is that I read somewhere that the difference between race and stock bearings is that racebearings are thinner for more oil flow, but have correspondingly less life. How much less? I don't know(surely depends on how hard the engine is worked,) but I don't want to find out when I spin one and have to replace Alot of stuff, ya dig?
Obviously this question is brought up thinking about my future budget, but I will do what is necessary to keep the engine healthy, just a matter of money being spent in the right places, not wasted you know? Thanks a bunch guys, and if there are any higher milage guys with aftermarket bearings, feel free to tell me to. "quite fing worrying about it!" lol Though I feel that parts of this may be of help to people who are honest with themselves on their goals and thinking about that built motor.
Ray
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