Ok, I am rebuilding my engine and decided to go with ACL main/rod bearings to compliment the Manley rods I have. I purchased the regular ACL bearings (part #4b1185) instead of the race bearing set (part #4b1185H). I plan on eventually doing a big turbo setup and possibly hitting 600hp. Have I made a major mistake witht the bearings I purchased?

Any insight is appreciated.

 

Old saying "Do it once, do it right." I just installed a new motor with 4b1185H's in it.

 

Bearing clearance is usually the only main difference that I've seen with ACL's, the race set is usually a bit looser to allow loading of the engine right away and skip the break in for track use where time is of the essence. From what I can see they both are a tri-metal design, which is pretty much standard in bearings these days. Either choice you go with should be fine, as Manley lists both part #'s to use with their rods.

A tighter bearing clearance (within spec of course) tends to have a longer life span than a looser tolerance, but also requires the long length break in time normally associated with a freshly built motor. Always check your clearances regardless though, a little bit of cheap plastigauge can go a long way to prevent problems down the road.

 

Thanks so much for the info. That is priceless knowlede. I am having a very reputable machine shop handle the rebuild so I am confident that clearances will be measured. I was unaware of the life span between the two parts and longevity is very important to me. I have plenty of time to work with so I am gonna stay with the normal ACLs. Thanks so much for the input.