Thread: Main bearing caps

crankshaft main bearing caps or whatever you wanna call em aren't wanting to budge. All i've tried doing is knocking at them a good bit with a hammer but they aren't loosing up at all. Any other options? i saw some people get masonary expanding bolts and attach a slide hammer to them somehow but im unclear on exactly how. Im just wondering if there's any other ways of popping the lil shets out.

I had the same problem but my problem was that I wasnt aware that the first three main caps are bolted to the block by two top bolts and two side bolts. I felt really stupid after spending almost an hour trying to get them to move. after removing the side bolts, i just inserted two extensions into the main cap hole and wiggled them out with out a problem.

wow i completely overlooked those. well that makes a lot of sense now

Did you forget those small bolts on the side too?

I got three of them free but the second is still not wanting to budge. the counter weights are getting in the way so there's no room to play with.

the crank has to be at a certain position. its also hard cause thats the cap with the thrust bearing on it which gives it less room to wiggle back and front. i just grabbed the crank from nose and rear by a flywheel bolt. wiggled it so it can push up on the main just enough where you can start wiggling the cap out yourself
. just dont do it too hard where it'll damage the crank or cap.

tried beatin the **** out of it but only ended up dingin it up. so instead i built a crazy contraption for leverage using vice grips, a block of wood and a couple screwdrivers.

yep got it down to bare block ready to be inspected