The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 292 Connecting Rod Bearing Question

I am putting together a 1965 292ci to put in my '50. I got to the connecting rod bearings and my book says to make sure the oiling hole is pointed toward the camshaft. I assume this is just an oil hole for the connecting rod bearing that gets it oil from the momentum of the rotating crankshaft dipping in the oil.

My problem is that the Clevite rod bearings I got don't have a notch in them that matches up with the oiling hole in the connecting rod. The original bearings had the notch in them. Do I need the notch? If so should I file them in? I don't want to fry my engine over something so simple (I'd rather fry it over something complicated! Any help would be great!

Thanks, Craig

I would say that you want bearings that look just like the originals. I haven't touched a 292 but a hole like that would be for providing some lubrication to some other part. Your rod bearing gets its lubrication form the crankshaft under pressure.

I agree that bearings that are just like original would be best. . .Would I be safe carefully filing a notch in the new ones? The material is soft enough to do so easily and then deburred with emery cloth. Any thoughts?

Use a small-diameter chainsaw file and carefully file a small notch in alignment with the slot in the connecting rod. If you file from the inside to the outside of the bearing, you'll be less likely to raise a burr that could score the crankshaft. When the oil hole in the crankshaft aligns with the slot in the bearing, it spits a little oil onto the cylinder wall. The primary purpose of the hole is to keep the piston skirt from scuffing while the engine is loaded heavily.
Jerry