Installing the crankshaft and checking the bearing clearances [Toyota Camry XV10]

1. Installing the crankshaft is the first step in assembling the engine. Make sure the cylinder block and crankshaft are clean.

2. Remove the bolts and main bearing caps or cap assembly and arrange the bearing caps in the proper order for installation. Wipe the main bearing areas with a clean, wax-free cloth.

Checking the bearing operating clearance

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1. Clean the rear of the bearings and their installation location in the cylinder block and main bearing caps.

2. Install the liners into their places in the engine cylinder block.

3. One method, which requires a bore micrometer (see item 4), is to install the main bearing caps with the liners on the cylinder block and tighten them to the specified torque. Measure the inside diameter of each assembled pair of bearing liners. Measure the diameter of each crankshaft main journal. Subtract the corresponding crankshaft main journal diameter from the measured bearing diameter.



4. Second (and more accurate) the method is to use a product known as Plastigage. This is a round plastic rod that is compressed between the bearing shell and the crankshaft journal. After removing the main bearing cap, the deformed plastic rod is measured with a special template that is included with the Plastigage. The procedure for using Plastigage is as follows.

4a. Install the crankshaft without lubrication on the liners installed in the cylinder block. The crankshaft journals and liners must be completely clean and dry.



4b. Cut a few pieces of Plastigage plastic rod (they should be slightly shorter than the width of the main bearings) and install on each crankshaft journal.

4v. Install the caps with the lower liners and tighten the mounting bolts to the specified torque. Do not rotate the crankshaft during the Plastigage clearance measurement process (see fig. Sequence of tightening the bolts for fastening the main bearing caps on a four-cylinder engine, Sequence of tightening the bolts for fastening the main bearing caps on a 3VZ-FE engine, Sequence of tightening the bolts for fastening the main bearing caps on a 1MZ-FE engine, Sequence of tightening the side bolts for fastening the main bearing caps on a 1MZ-FE engine).





4g. Unscrew the liner mounting cover, remove it and apply a scale ruler to the deformed plastic rod. By comparing the width of the deformed plastic rod with the reference width on the scale ruler, determine the size of the gap.

4d. Finally, thoroughly clean any traces of Plastigage material from the bearings and crankshaft.

Final installation of the crankshaft

1. Remove the crankshaft from the cylinder block.

2. Clean the rear of the bearing and its mounting location in the cylinder block and main bearing caps. Install the bearings in their places.

3. Lubricate the working surface of the bearing with clean engine oil and install the crankshaft into the engine cylinder block.


4. Install the thrust washers. On four-cylinder engines, the thrust washers are installed near main bearing #3, and on V6 engines, near main bearing #2. Measure the crankshaft axial clearance.



5. Lubricate the lower shells in the main bearing caps with clean engine oil and install the main bearing caps on the cylinder block.



6. Apply a thin coat of engine oil to the main bearing cap bolt threads and tighten the bolts to the specified torque. On the 1MZ-FE V6 engine, tighten the lower mounting bolts to the specified torque first, then the side mounting bolts. New washers must be used when installing the bolts.

7. Check that the crankshaft rotates smoothly and without sticking.

8. Install a new crankshaft rear seal ring, then install the crankshaft rear cover onto the cylinder block.