Worn main bearings from sitting

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I just had my engine pulled because of some harsh noises I had been hearing. The engine builder said that the main bearings were worn and it looked like they were worn because of too many dry start conditions. This is an extra car not used too much. It is started and driven infrequently. He said everything else was perfect in the engine so there was no sense in a total rebuild, just replace the main bearings. However he said unless I used it more often, the same thing would happen. So for a car that sits a long period of time, perhaps several months at a time, any advice as to oil, especially would a 0w or 5w be better than a 15w or 20w? or the opposite? I don't have to worry about cold weather. The car will never start in below 40 degree temperatures. synthetic or conventional?
 
Eventually the crankshaft settles on to the main caps. The lower crank bearings are the highest wear parts. same with the con rod bearings.
 
Yes, those are the parts they will be replacing. Now I need to prevent it from happening again. Is there an oil on the market that will help in my situation?
 
What you can do is hook a garden sprayer up to the oil pressure port and get the engine primed with oil before starting it. That will prevent the equivalent of several thousand miles of engine wear.
 
Do what boTh ford and chevy reccomend for car nearly in storage. Start the car once every two weeks, bring to full operating temp and move the car a lttle to prevent flat spots and dry rot on tires. Works for the two I have in the same situation.
 
^ ^ ^ You're supposed to already know that. Use the force Luke.
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Originally Posted By: Building3
The car is a 1986 Dodge Omni GLH 2.2L 4 cylinder with 5 speed manual
those were just junk anyway. my mom had an 87 that needed bearings @ 42k. I suspect lugging contributed to it since yours is a stickshift.
 
I concur with 03cvpi, Ford recommends running every 15 days. I have a motorhome and have been following that since day 1....same with my towed car...drive it once a week to work to keep everything good.
 
Don't tell that to my motorhome or my Ford pickup. I'm lucky to gey my motorhome out of storage 6 to 8 times a year and my pickup can sit for even longer, so far alls good.

ROD
 
Out of curiosity, is there something on the OPs engine that leaves it susteptable to engine damage under those starting conditions. If so, why? Design flaw?
 
The thing is the a lot of synthetic oils have lower surface tension, it's one factor in getting their low W rating. That lower surface tension leads to drain off as they have less capability to maintain capillary fill over time.

Dino oils are well known to maintain a better capillary fill for longer. Add in that you want a robust film when you start spinning it after sitting for a few months and I'd be all over Delo 400 15W-40 HDEO.

Trucks often sit, sometimes for 6 months at a time. Crankcases full of basic good old HDEO oils, have very quiet starts and good oil pressure quickly. This is a perfect scenario for a classic premium dino oil
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I like the GLH. It's now a plastic fantastic classic. They ran good, I'd keep it if the interior is still serviceable ...
 
Originally Posted By: philipp10
SO the premise is your crankshaft journals rusted due to oil runoff?


I don't think it is rust, but rather dry start because all the oil has returned back to the sump after sitting for a long time.
 
Sounds like the bearings failed due to being a 31 year old Dodge Omni, not because it wasn't used much.
 
Thanks BrocLuno,

Not to highjack the thread, if one were using 5w-40 synthetic vs 15w-40 Dino...the more dry starts would favor 15-40 due to higher film retention...longer time between starts would be better with Dino. Thanks.
 
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