Can rod bearing be changed without pulling engine?

[unioncreek]

My son has a late 80'2 S10 with the 4.3 in it. One of the rod bearings is making noise and he wants to just try and replace them with the engine in it. Can we loosen the motor mount and anything else we might need to and get the pan off? I haven't looked under it yet, but I'd like to try this first. It has over 250K on this engine and I don't think it's going to improve much by doing this so I want to do it the easiest way I can.

Thanks,
Bobg

[Blue Bowtie]

You may be able to remove the oil pan by raising the engine slightly. This will allow the rod caps to be removed and bearings to be replaced. However, if a bearing is damaged, the associated damage on the crank journal may spin a new bearing shell on start-up. You may be able to polish the journals in place, but it would be difficult. Also, it may be difficult to check some of the journal diameters to know what size bearing shells to install.

With the pan removed, it would also be a good idea to replace the oil pump and drop the main caps to check those bearings as well. The rear main bearing will be difficult unless the transmission is split from the engine, the rest will be possible but still not easy.

[534BC]

Usually with a lot of miles on a stock engine a rod brg spins from lack of oil or rod housing out of round and a new bearing can be put in , but a main is probably damaged starving the rod and will happen again.

The rest of the bearings are not too far behind.

[mrmikey]

I have polished journals that aren't totally wrote off using a shoelace and verrrrry fine compound....Mike