3.0 Main Bearing Knock Repair Options

It would be way cool. Especially if it makes my baby feel better and sound better.

That dull thump makes me ill.

Here is what I was told by a Toyota tech:

"Good news, I bet you do have a main bearing knock, and the select fit
stuff you was told is spot on. But did you just replace drive belts and
overtighten them? If so, loosen them, if not, loosen the belts soem
anyway. You do not have to remove the engine to do this, but you do
have
to remove the transmission to do this. The main bearing caps are
girdled
together and you can not loosen the #5 meain bearing cap with the rear
seal in place, so tranny removal is a must. We have fixed these before
and just repalaced the frotn bearing, it cured it everytime."

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

Did you tell the mech that you have a 4runner? Because the Camry had a 3.0 V6 but not the same one. Just covering all bases here.

The only reason I see that the girdle wouldn't come down is the rear main seal retainer has a lip on it that sticks into the engine slightly. This could restict the girdle from comeing straight down

Here's what I would do if I were you:

Drop the front end stuff, and pull the pan. See if the bearing girdle will come off, if not, put the pan back on (you can still drive it without the frontend stuff in, just completly remove the front drive shaft). Then take it in if the tranny needs to be unbolted and moved, because with an auto it's a bit of a pain. But with that stuff out of the front the job will be much easier for whoever's doing it, and maybe it'll save you some money.

But I have to tell you, I think it can be done. And I've done the "impossible" before with cars, just so you know [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

The fact that the mech said (Let's say he confused #5 with #4 bearing, cause ther are only 4) you can't even loosen the "#5" bearing cap makes me wonder, because I can tell by the pics you linked to that you can loosen it, and the other three without any problem. Even if the girdle doesn't come down, maybe it'll tilt down enough to change the #1 bearing...?

I was nervous when I did mine, but I have to tell you, it feels great to fix your own truck, and the first time is always the hardest. But out of all the mechanicing I've done, nothing has been as hard as I though, or as hard as I was told it was. It's all just turning wrenches, that's all.

Jerod,

As always thank you for the information and encouragement. I have a couple of emails still out there to Toyota techs to make absolutely certain what needs to be done to get to the mains.

I think you are right that it is the seal retainer lip that prevents the cap from coming down. I will make sure however and post back when I find out.

Thanks again.

Here is a FSM diagram of the motor

http://personal.utulsa.edu/~nathan-b...60descript.pdf

Can anyone tell from that diagram if the tranny has to be pulled? I can't tell.

Here is what a toyota tech has emailed me yesterday:

"yes it can be done by dropping the front differential and suspension, I found it easier to just remove the motor and then replace the bearings. The crankshaft does not need to be machined.
The bearing noise does not harm the crankshaft, it's the bearing that wears not the crankshaft, the noise is annoying and any excessive bearing noise is not good and needs to be addressed.
After the oil pan is removed there are numbers stamped on the bottom of the engine block for the rod and main bearings, they will be in the range of 1-5 with the 5 being the tightest fit, in this case I would have the mechanic write these numbers down, then I would suggest using one step number higher for all the rod bearings, for instance if they were a number 3, use a number 4.
Same for the main bearings except no matter what use a number 5 on the front, this is what I did and I have since put about 80,000 more miles on it(257,000 and still going) although I don't drive it everyday anymore just some weekends to go off-road.
And by the way, absolutely use nothing but the toyota factory bearings, if you use aftermarket each one will have to be measured with plastigage and it becomes somewhat of a trial and error situation which can be very time consuming and add to the labor cost. "

Toyota dealership in another town about 45 min away told me today you have to R&I the motor. 17.9 hours of labor x $70...you can do the math

He claimed that is what the Toyota CD says to do and that is the way they would do it.

sigh

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

That sounds promising. I can't tell from the diagram if it will be a problem, although it's a neat picture. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] I'm glad he explained the bearing numbering thing also, I have been trying to figure out what all that means myself. The 22RE just has plain bearings, none of that numbered stuff.

I need to ask if the tranny has to come out. But he only answers five questions per day. Tough to get him sometimes.

I do wonder if the crank doesn't wear, why do you have install bearings with tighter clearances? Why wouldn't you just replace with new ones of original size?

Well I gave up and took in to a shop for repair. The dropped the pan and I found out today that the transmission DOES need pulled to access the main bearings.

Something to the effect of the rear main seal lip not allowing the cap to drop?

sigh. There goes a bunch more money.

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

Funny, I was just thinking about this thread. Sorry to hear that the tranny does need to be removed.... So the shop did leave the engine in the truck? I still stand behind going in from below, way less things in the way, even if you have to pull the tranny. Don't worry Jaybo, we'll get the next one. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]