<VV> Rod Bearings

[Brown, David]

Hi all,
It's been about 3 years since I have subscribed due to excessive spam in
addition to VV messages & personal & business email, so something had to go.
I haven't totally fixed the spam problem yet, but I wanted to get some
opinions about rod bearings.  My basic question is why did they wear out so
fast in my engine?

My 140 is about 4 years & 27,000 miles since complete o'haul (NOS
pistons/cyl, rods balanced, crank checked & turned as necessary, heads &
seats checked, new guides & seats as necessary.  I broke it in with regular
oil & at 500 miles changed to synthetic (Amsoil).  It has been driven almost
entirely on the freeway (last 4 conventions).  I do drive hard (I use my
secondaries a lot!), but never when cold and I use 5,000 as reline.  In
fact, with my 14" wheels/tires & 327 gears, I am usually cruising at least
1,000 rpm lower than most others.  It does sit, however, for at least a
month at a time between starts, but I never let it go above 1,500 when I
start it until it runs for a few minutes.  "Dry" starts should also be
helped by using synthetic oil, I was told.  My dilemma came to light when I
recently dropped a valve seat.  The piston top was damaged & needed to be
replaced, but I was very surprised to discover that the rod bearing was down
to the copper.  Is there a difference in coating that could be causing this?
Could the bearings we get from one vendor vs. another be different- & cause
different wear?  I was told that some people (racers?) coat their bearings
with a Moly coating to help reduce friction.  Could I be having an oil
pressure problem, delaying oil to the rods on start-up, or during use?  I am
thinking maybe I need to install an oil pressure gauge.  Any thoughts?

David Brown
Corvair Houston
CORSA member
69 Monza 140 cp.