Spun a Rod Bearing

drain the oil and keep it, refill with oil you have bought using the correct grade if noise is still there its not the oil

how far over red line did you go and for how long

Don't forget to Change the Oil filter at the same time. The Oil filter usually holds anywhere from 1/4 to 3/4 litre (0.055 US Gal to 0.165 US Gal) of oil on top of what is in the sump.

A Z9/Z30 oil filter will hold around 3/4 litre (0.165 US Gal)

a Z89A oil filter holds about 1/4 litre (0.055 US Gal)

You also could have collapsed a valve lifter.

The mechanic looked at it, said it's done, lower end knock. It knocks only when rev'd, and is timed to a piston movement.

The car is a 2000 cavalier, with 150,000 KMs, (or miles)

I only rev'd it to the red 2 times, when passing. It went far into the red, don't know only glanced at it.

I read on the net a lot of different opinions on what to do with a spun bearing. Some say buy a new bearing and rod, and polish the crank journal if it's not to damaged, if it's too damaged, then buy a used crank for around $150. Some say the engine is junk, and one even used thread lock on the rod to hold the bearing!

2000 cavalier with 150,000 on it........It's junk, IMO.

It would probably be easier/quicker/cheaper to replace the motor with either a known good motor from the car wreckers or a GM crate motor than rebuilding the one that's in it.

Depending on which variant of the motor you have, it shouldn't be so difficult to get a replacement motor.

Rebuilding these "Modern" GM motors is usually an expensive exercise, as GM charge hard for spare parts.

To repair the motor entails a total rebuild. While you have it apart you may as well do the job properly. Replacing the crank, conrods and pistons, all bearings, maybe go to the next oversize in the bores and pistons. While the heads off, send it away to be reconditioned. You will probably wind up with a long list of other things to replace while your at it. If you can do the spanner work yourself its probably worth it.

It's only a Cavalier, not a Cadillac but it's your car and money. Only you know what it is worth to you and how much you are willing to throw at it to get it going again.

150,000km or even miles isn't much on a well maintained motor, but on one that wasn't so well looked after, probably about right.

Yup the net is a mine of useless information if you look hard enough.

A spun bearing usually spreads a whole lot of metal filings through the motor, you would only just replace that bearing in a pinch to get you to someplace to rebuild the motor properly. Or to just get the motor running "nice" to off load the car onto some other poor schmuck.

Hi there,

DO NOT use thread lock on the rod to hold the bearing as this acts as an insulating film and will NOT allow bearing generated heat to dissipate through the bearing/con rod fit which is designed as a heatsink also.

cryogen

Typical Bow-tie bull shit! Sounds like you spun a rod bearing and you would have to turn the crank, resize the rods and replace the bearings. Might be cheaper and quicker to replace the engine, but I warn you GM charges as much for a crate four cylinder as they do for a V8!

I'd rather have a V-8!

You may also have piston failure. It is possible to drop a piece of the skirt and the piston is able rock, with interesting results if not attended to.

I have red-lined many vehicles without failures. The high ks of this one may mean that the bearings did not get enough oil and have run.

How regularly do you change oil and filter. If clogged, the filter could limit the oil supply and you end up with too much heat and the bearing melts. The oil supply is not so much for slipperiness, more for cooling.

I could be wrong, but it seems to me that we get a heck of alot of inquiries on Chevy Cavalier here on CR4... way beyond what we get on other makes and models. I have concluded that I NEVER EVER will buy one. I have owned several other Chevys over the years which I was very happy with, but I won't touch this one.

Bill

In Oz these started out as the "JB Camira" part of the GM World Car strategy.

It was the same car as the Vauxhall, and Opel only badged for the individual markets they were sold in.

They were never much more than a bread and butter car.

The funniest thing i saw was on the runout of the JB model they introduced a "sports pack" which was only a set of alloy wheels (the same size as the stock steel ones)the higher spec interior with a choice of body colours, Electric Blue, Orange, Yellow and a sort of lime green. They had a special stripe applied to them with the logo "SJ" (I kid you not) You'll never guess what we called them in the trade...

They were good for what they were but not much more.

Hum, i had an 89 chev cavalier that was a very good car.

Traded about $400 worth of work for it and i drove it for almost 2 yrs, delivering pizza at night.

sold it to my ex for 500, bought it back 6 months later for 350, drove it another 6 months, sold it to my g/f for 300, bought it back, drove it a few more months then sold it again for $500.

got about 4 good years out of it, and still saw it running around town 2 yrs later.

Dump the oil, change the filter and oil pump if you can.

fill it back up with a 50/50 mix of good 20w50 motor oil and lucasoil. Dont spend any more money than that on it.

Go easy with it, stay off the interstate. pay $5 a month for aaa roadside assistance,and drive it till it dies. It will still be worth 200-300 in scrap metal at current prices.

mine had 240,000 miles on it the last time i sold it.

My mom had an old, 70 somthing pontiac that knocked for over 5 years, but still ran every day, till my youngest brother got his drivers licence, and crashed it within 24 hours, lol.

It knocked for all those years?