Ford 289 bearings

Gentlemen, I could use some help with a recommendation on bearings for my '65 289 rebuild from some of you guys with track time.

I have heard that Vandervell was a good brand name, but they are not available in the States under that name. Clevite makes a "V series" bearing that is based on the Vandervell design. Clevite make several types, which one would you use.

Is the Vandervell brand still markeded in the UK for a stock Ford 289 performance engine ? I've also heard Mahle is good.

This is one area where I don't want to have any problems. I will need to make a decision very soon, please help.

 

[Sandy]

Robert -

This could be like asking what is the best oil..or which GT40 I should get In my case /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I have used Clevite for a few of the Big Block Chevy's that I had years ago. Never had any problems.

With the last motor (331 Ford) it was suggested that I used the clevite 77's for the mains and the King Alecular Pro for the Rods. And have not had any problems (yet). The reason that was given to me was the clevite are harder and more suited to the crank vs the King's which work better for rods due to better embedability.

I would expect that any premium bearing should work well these days, the Clevites are very easy to get at most performance engine shops.

 

[Alex Hirsbrunner]

I went through the same thing during my last rebuild. The Dana/Clevite website has a ton of good information to help you choose. Here's what I remember:

- V are most appropriate if you are using components that were not manufactured using modern equipment (i.e. NOS crank, block and rods). The high conformability of these bearings are best able to deal with the irregularities common in the manufacturing/machining processes used in the past.

- P are the the original and most popular (I believe) Clevite "performance" bearing and have oil grooves in both shell halves. Of the three, I think this is the most inexpensive option.

- H are what I have been using in my 289 (I believe this is the primary bearing used in NASCAR applications). Last year at Road America I broke the oil pump driveshaft in my 289 and drove home 80 miles thinking it was a sender problem (details in another recent post of mine) and when I took it apart, the bearings could have been reused - just slightly smeared - crank was fine. They looked like what you would have expected on a 100,000 mile stock small block (this engine had just under 1000 miles on it before it expired, 140 miles of which where on track). This line uses the what I would classify as "high tech" overlays compared to what is offered in the standard line. Note that these guys generally have enlarged chamfers that are not really necessary in most engines and slightly increase the overall load on the bearing (this is also true of the VN series of Vandervell Clevite part numbers if I remember correctly).

There are some other strange/interesting ones like the -MA line from Federal Mogal that claims to polish up your crank as you drive /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif (I assume this is useful if a substandard finish is present at assembly)

Regards,

Al

 

Clevite bearing have always worked good for me in any engine I have used them in. On the small Blk Ford I use a standard output Oilpump with the pressure increased to 60lbs. (that is what is in my 40) Be sure to use a good assembly lube and pre oil the engine with a shaft made from an old distributor.(Counter clockwise).

Vic

 

Thanks for the reply guys. After doing a lot of checking around I bought some Clevite bearings, "V" to go with the old components.

 

[Andy 8V]

Spare yourselves the brutal agony in front of friends and fans and make sure you have 271HP clevite 77 rod bearings, which are chamfered on the edges to clear the rounded sides of the 271HP rod journals on a 271HP crank, otherwise you will be hating life when you lock up the crank when you tighten up the first rod bolts on non 271hp rod bearings, which were not chamfered. Oil grooves on the top shell facing the pistons on 271HP rods with drilled holes aimed at the bottom of the pistons help cool them under WOT conditions, but not all 271HP rods were drilled at the factory making the groove irrelevant.

 

[Jac Mac]

If you have an actual 289 Hi-po High Nodular crank be aware that it requires a special technique during the journal polishing process. Bearing life can shortened if this is not done.

Jac Mac

 

[Michael Fox]

Clevite 77's bearings and turn over the cam bearingand drill a hole about half of the organal hole this i a cheap way to send more oil to the mains and restict oil to the cam ..

sorry i dont spell to good

 

[JimmyMac]

JacMac,
Can you elucidate as to what preparation I need to get done on a new original HiPo crank and bearings for a completely NOS HiPo engine I am building presently ?

 

[Jac Mac]

Will get back to you on that James, have the journal polishing procedure written down in a little black book somewhere.

Jac Mac

 

[JimmyMac]

JacMac,
I knew you would mate and appreciate it.

 

[Doc Watson]

I had my crank crack tested and a few tenths of a thou ground off the bearing surfaces to remove any grooves... although my engine has run before, also had a 30 thou rebore.

Are you planning to assemble the engine yourself?

All information required is found in "How to rebuild Small-Block Ford Engines" by Tom Monroe (you probably have it already).

Does the block need hot tanking? what core plugs to use? cam bearing instalation requires a special drive tool, and then checking the crank with plastigauge for bearing fit.... as always with these cars you ask one question and 10 others need to be asked.... but thats the fun of it isnt it?

Andy

 

[JimmyMac]

Andy,
I have the tooling to build the long blocks.
The HiPo crank is mint so I will not trust myself as a fresher with the polishing. I am going to an approved FIA shop for that.

I also have a steel crank needing polishing for a C6FE engine on the go.

Trouble is time these days.