Crankshaft and main bearings - removal

Engine repair procedures - 1.05 and 1.3 litre pre August 1985 / Crankshaft and main bearings - removal

1 Disconnect the connecting rods from the crankshaft. It is not essential to remove the pistons or, therefore, to remove the cylinder head.

2 Remove the oil pump and the rear oil seal housing.

3 Using a feeler blade, check that the crankshaft endfloat is within the specified limits (see illustration). Insert the feeler blade between the centre crankshaft web and the thrustwashers. This will indicate whether new thrustwashers are required or not.

18.3 Checking crankshaft endfloat

4 Check that the main bearing caps are identified for location and position. There should be a cast number in the crankcase ventilation pipe/coolant coolant pipe side of the caps, numbered from the timing belt end of the engine (see illustration).

18.4 Crankshaft main bearing cap numbering

5 Unscrew the bolts and tap the main bearing caps free. Keep the bearing shells and where fitted, the thrustwashers identified for position.

6 Lift the crankshaft from the crankcase and remove the remaining bearing shells and thrustwashers. Keep them identified for position (see illustration).

18.6 Removing crankshaft