My serpentine belt has been squealing for sometime now & getting worse. When the truck is in park it doesn't squeal, when you put e'r in drive( auto trans) the bottom pulley which is attached to the crank pushes out 50 thou causing the belt to squeal like a pig that lost it's mother!!
Would it be correct in assuming the thrust bearing is wore out? If so, can this bearing be replaced with the engine still in the truck, ( enough room to get the pan off, enough clearance to get old & new bearings out/in etc)?
Any idea what would cause this bearing to wear out so quick as the truck only has 100,00 miles?
Any help would be greatly appreciated,
Thanx!

 

If that bearing is bad, you can bet that others are going to be as well....... When was the last time you changed your oil? Might wanna do so again, and run a magnet thru the waste oil, and see what you come up with.....

Welcome to the Forums.

 

Just changed the oil recently, looks to be ok. I think this bearing has been going for quite sometime as the squealing from the belt started over a year ago & has progressively gotten worse. Didn't notice the crank movement at first, thought it was the usual problems so I replaced the belt & the tensioner pulley before I noticed the crank play.
Thanks for your help & the greeting, nice to be on board!

 

Agree that if one bearing is going it would be best to check them all, why do part of the job and be uncertain of the rest of the components?

 

Is your truck two, or four wheel drive? Crossmember on 2wd might be problematic, but, either way, you could probably pick up the engine a bit to clear the oil pan. Although, since you have to drop the trans to do it.... might just as well yank the engine..... Pull a couple main caps, (and rods too?) and see what the bearings look like, and also the crank surfaces. Thrust bearing is number 3.

 

After marking & removing all the caps, do you think there's enough room to tap all the old bearings out & slide the new ones in, or does the tranny have to be dropped in order to make enough clearance for the bearings to come out?
It is four wheel drive.
Thanx for your help!

 

Trans needs to come out, as you need to drop the crank down a bit to get the bearings in/out. (well, ok, maybe not 'out', but, at least 'out of the way'.)

 

Hey you, hahaha, so the easiest way to change these bearings would be to raise the motor a bit to get the pan off & you figure I will have to move the trans as there wouldn't be enough room to slide the bearings out.
Would you recommend just replacing the original bearings or should it be plastic gauged to see if over sized are needed? ( only 100,000 miles)
Thanx again!

 

Since you are going to be in there anyway.... I would replace all bearings, and probably the oil pump as well. You can pull a rod cap or two, and see what they look like.... take it from there.

Also want to pay attention to the thrust surface on the crank itself, if it is scored up, just changing the bearings won't help. You will have to get that little detail addressed as well. If the crank has to come out...... you will have to pull the timing cover, gears, and chain as well. (new timing set, and water pump time?? they gotta come off in that case in any event, might just as well go with new.)

 

The job is done & ended up being a lot easier than I thought as I didn't have to raise the motor or remove the trans! Now that don't happen too often! lol.
After wiggling the pan a bit it managed to pop out. Removed the oil pump & all the bearing caps. Tapped all the upper bearings as well as the thrust bearing out with a flexible piece of plastic the same thickness as the bearings. Lubed up the new bearings then slid them in place by hand, put e'r back together, torqued everything to spec & off & running again!!!
Thanks again!