Part I, Teardown
There came a tapping, a Rapping, a WACKING noise from the engine when I was at the Glen earlier this summer. Upon tearing the engine down #6 rod bearing was found to be completely missing from the rod and in its place was a sump full of chips. Click on the images to get a larger picture.
The crank didn't look really bad but measured down around 2 undersized I think. The rod had some fretting where the cap attached. I've ordered another crank and some rods with rod bearings prepped and ready to go. Apparently, 3.2's and Turbos (3.3's) are prone to this problem and specially prepping the bearings fixes the problem (supposedly). Don't ask, I don't know what they do to the bearings either. Stay tuned...
I'm hoping my measurement of the layshaft's backlash is wrong. I'm having the machinist check it when he checks the case. The spec is .049. so if it really does measure .06mm I need to spend more money...
Mike Platt had the idea for making this cool cradle for the case. Worked like a charm. Here is the case in the back of my "Sport Utility Vehicle" (944S2) ready to go to the machinist.
