change main bearings, swap, or sell?

[FlyingFatass]

Well i found out that the reason why im not getting oil pressure is due to a main bearing failure (1990 ranger w/ a 2.3 ). I'm having a hard time deciding wether to change the bearings, swap the motor for another 2.3, or cut my losses and sell it as-is. So far it looks like ill have to spend around $500-$800 for a junkyard engine if i decide to swap. I don't know how much it will cost for bearings, but I also found out that I would have to send the crankshaft to an engine shop to have it machined as well, so I'm assuming that wont be cheap. If i sell my truck as it is, ill be lucky to make more than $1000 from it.

Now that you know this, all i need to know is two things.

How difficult would it be to change the main bearings, and how much would i expect to spend?

What would your opinion be on my next step?

 

[Bryan22]

You have to pull the motor to get the oil pan off to change the mains. I'd say if you're that far into it just go for a full rebuild. That'd probably be the most time consuming, but deffenitely worth it for peice of mind.

I lost a motor in my 2.3 and found a used motor and trans for 350. Keep your eyes open on craigslist for deals, if you wanna go that route.

If the trucks been good to you and you like it, i would not sell it. You're not gonna get very much for it, but if you fix it it'll probably be a great truck for a long time.

If you do keep it, change the slave while you have the motor out. and change the pilot bearing while you have the motor on the bench.

 

[Rogue_Wulff]

Did the main bearings cause the loss of oil pressure, or did the loss of oil pressure kill the main bearings? Impossible to know for sure.
Have you pulled the pan to verify what you were told? This is like the 3rd or 4th thread you've started concerning the lack of oil pressure in this engine. In at least one, you admitted to running the engine even though it it wasn't making any oil pressure.
In another, you said a mechanic told you the mains were bad, without the engine being opened.
Until the engine is opened, you won't know if this started due to a clogged oil pickup (common issue, from what I've read), oil pump failure, or bearing failure. Of course, after having run the engine without oil pressure, you could have damaged it to the point a replacement engine is needed. A spun main bearing tends to do nasty things to the engine block........

 

[FlyingFatass]

Did the main bearings cause the loss of oil pressure, or did the loss of oil pressure kill the main bearings? Impossible to know for sure.
Have you pulled the pan to verify what you were told? This is like the 3rd or 4th thread you've started concerning the lack of oil pressure in this engine. In at least one, you admitted to running the engine even though it it wasn't making any oil pressure.
In another, you said a mechanic told you the mains were bad, without the engine being opened.
Until the engine is opened, you won't know if this started due to a clogged oil pickup (common issue, from what I've read), oil pump failure, or bearing failure. Of course, after having run the engine without oil pressure, you could have damaged it to the point a replacement engine is needed. A spun main bearing tends to do nasty things to the engine block........

I was in school at the time and they don't allow you to work on vehicles on campus, so there wasn't much I could do at the time except ask questions and speculate. Now that I'm finally back home for summer can start working on it. I'm not sure whether the lack of pressure caused the main bearing failure, or vice versa, but either way if I decide to do the rebuild, I'm going to have to replace them anyway.

That being said, I did have to drive it home so I could actually work on it. Made it 230 miles no problems. ticking stopped and there was no loss of power, and it idled nice and smooth. still wasn't making any oil pressure though.

 

[Rogue_Wulff]

Wow, even after being told that driving it without oil pressure, especially that far, could cause severe engine damage, you did it anyways?
Sell the truck, and throw your drivers license in the trash, please.

 

[Bryan22]

Ya.... or you could verify that the gauge is accurate. Doesn't sound like it it. With no oil pressure i wouldn't expect it to go more than 50 miles. And that's pushing it.

Seriously, if it were me, and you're just running it around town for a while. get a mechanical gauge and if it looks good, just run it. No reason to rebuild a motor with a bad oil pressure sender or faulty gauge.

 

[FlyingFatass]

Ya.... or you could verify that the gauge is accurate. Doesn't sound like it it. With no oil pressure i wouldn't expect it to go more than 50 miles. And that's pushing it.

Seriously, if it were me, and you're just running it around town for a while. get a mechanical gauge and if it looks good, just run it. No reason to rebuild a motor with a bad oil pressure sender or faulty gauge.

i did hook up the mechanical gauge, and it read zero. even took the gauge off the line to see if any oil was going through it, and all there was was a slow drip. I checked for a kink in the line or something blocking the flow, but it was clear.

Wow, even after being told that driving it without oil pressure, especially that far, could cause severe engine damage, you did it anyways?
Sell the truck, and throw your drivers license in the trash, please.

I had no choice but to drive it. My school kicks us off campus if we aren't taking summer courses and they fine you if you leave your car. towing would have cost over $300 and the only way to take my stuff with me would have been to ship it. Atleast I can let it sit at my parents house over summer. I'm going out of state to work for some family up north so I can earn the money to either swap the motor or just buy a new car. Might as well make the most of the engine before it eventually dies on me. I'm sorry that I don't have the money to just take it to a shop, or the resources and experience to take apart the motor and fix it myself. If you really want to keep me from abusing my truck, I'll gladly sell it to you. I'd rather see it in the hands of someone who can fix it.

 

[4b316]

Does it come up on the oil pressure when you rev it up?Usaully will move more oil at rpm,s.It probably wasn't the worst thing to drive it that far but I realize sometimes you have to do what you have to do.I would keep my eyes open for another motor,again,just throw in some straight 40-50 weight and a can of Lucas and run it(not too far from home)till you change it or get ready to repair

 

[FlyingFatass]

Does it come up on the oil pressure when you rev it up?Usaully will move more oil at rpm,s.It probably wasn't the worst thing to drive it that far but I realize sometimes you have to do what you have to do.I would keep my eyes open for another motor,again,just throw in some straight 40-50 weight and a can of Lucas and run it(not too far from home)till you change it or get ready to repair

no pressure change at all, stays at 0psi even at WOT. I'm actually up north working for summer. I've decided to try and sell it. If someone buys it before I get back, I'll buy another car (was looking into a miata actually). If no one bites before I get back, I'll see what I can do about fixing it. If it's beyond repair, I'll swap the motor.