Half time bearing ?

[stillgrinning]

Picked mine up from a service today to be told that the "half time" bearing was making a noise and was probably on the way out.

I have no idea what that is (if I have remembered what he said correctly) but it's an engine out job and a starting price of £1,500.

If I do this, which it seems I have to, should I bite the bullet and do anything else whilst the engine is out ? It's a 2001 Red Rose with about 47k on the clock. It had a rebuild at 12k and a new clutch a couple of years ago. Touch wood nothing else seems to be wrong with it.

All info opinions gratefully received.

[mr sagman]

Iv'e just got my Tuscan S back from having one of these things done.. I was lucky it didn't do too much damage when it went and luckily I was on my way to Track V Road to have Nitrons fitted when I heard a strange noise!! Its basically an engine out job.. I had the head gasket replaced.. Big end bearings.. Main bearings and caps and valve guide seals done at the same time. Dont drive it until its put right was the advice I was given cos if the half time goes it can do a lot of damage!! IE Rebuild time.
Good luck.

[BGB autosport]

£1500!!! fk me, I changed mine,its a standard off the shelf bearing. I paid £23 for the half time bearing and both idler bearings.

It can also be done easily with the engine in.

[The Surveyor]

The half-time bearing went on mine last year and HHC sent the engine off to Jason at Str8six for the work to be completed as I needed it for Le Mans and HHC were busy.

This is one of the last known weaknesses on the later engines (mines a 2006 registered car) and Jason machines the engine cover and installs an uprated roller bearing set so hopefully that won't cause any more concerns in the future.

Paul

[Robertjp]

I paid £200 inc VAT for this upgrade whilst the engine was having its rebuild by Jason last year, it was a 'just in case' upgrade.

Obviously if the engine is out its a resonably inexpensive job to do...

Edited by Robertjp on Thursday 13th May 13:43

[Daston]

Silly question but is the halftime bearing in the head?

[NCE 61]

Daston said:

Silly question but is the halftime bearing in the head?

Not in the cylinder head, but at the top of the block:-

[Udo]

Another silly question: What part on the pic is the half-time bearing?

And what kind of noise does the engine do to say that the bearing is going now?

Thanks

Udo

[Daston]

NCE 61 said:

Daston said:

Silly question but is the halftime bearing in the head?

Not in the cylinder head, but at the top of the block:-

Ahh with ya

Did TVR improve the design of them or is it just bad luck if they go? I am having the engine out over the winter and starting to make a list of things to do whilst it out.

[Steve Devaney]

NCE 61 said:

Daston said:

Silly question but is the halftime bearing in the head?

Not in the cylinder head, but at the top of the block:-

For us uninitiated types (brave enough to speak up!) this photo would be great if someone would add nice little lables to all the bits and bobs that we see before us!!!

[BGB autosport]

There are 3 seperate chains, the main lower timing chain, then you have two chains driven directly from the crank, one for the scavenge pump the other for the water and HP oil pump.

HTH



.

Edited by BGB autosport on Saturday 15th May 10:23

[Night Rider]

This is a start...

[stillgrinning]

Thanks so far guys - I'm a little confused that at least one person is saying that the job can be done with the engine in and nobody has yet ventured into what else I should do if the engine comes out.

I think I generally trust the place I have it serviced, and if they say that the engine has to come out I suspect it is so they can inspect it for other damage. I think I have therefore come to terms with the fact that I have to have the engine out and therefore it's more about what else should I have done whilst the engine is out and I have already paid for that part.

For instance, the engine has now done nearly 38k since it's last rebuild (although I don't know the extent of that rebuild) so for another £4k I could get a complete rebuild at TVR Power ? Would I ever get my money back if/when I sold it ?

[itiejim]

If you're looking at selling it now then I'd just do the bearing (with engine in if poss) and then sell it - I don't think you'd recoup the full cost of an engine build, though you'd certainly get a proportion back. However, if you're looking at keeping it a while it's got to be worth doing properly once.

Sounds like a good excuse for a 4.3 / 4.5 conversion and keeping it a few more years!

[stillgrinning]

I just checked Powers website - the 4.5 upgrade isn't going to be ready until Jan 11 and the 4.3 is about £8k

[so roll me further bitch]

Thread revival. What type of noise does the bearing make when it is on its way out.

[Zippee]

Mine didn't make any noise, just a big thud, lots of smoke and no oil pressure. Mine basically collapsed on a drive and meant a full rebuild. I had no warning beforehand. I believe some people get a rattle from that area.
I know a couple of owners now who've had theirs upgraded following my failure.

[Bobhon]

I got mine listened to by Jason at STR8SIX earlier this year. He tried to excite a bearing rattle type noise by opening the throttle slightly from tick over and then letting it go again within a few seconds.

He said that mine was fine, just a slight timing chain rattle, easily adjusted.

Just flicking and releasing the throttle from under the bonnet accelerates and then decelerate the chains and bearing accentuating any rattle. The noise comes from where the earlier pics in this thread show the half-time bearing to be.

Sorry that I can't describe the rattle but as I said mine was okay.

If you are unsure then I would suggest getting over to STR8SIX to see Jason. Give him a call, he's always very helpful.

If it had gone then the price to fix it was about £2K. I can't remember if that included removing and refitting the engine.

HTC

Bob