Polish a Crankshaft with Sandpaper and a Shoelace! Project Brutus, Episode 19

[@TheDarkangelman]

Had no idea that polishing a crank was that relatively easy and cheap. Thanks Scott for the informative video! Can't wait to see the next step to putting project Brutus back on the road!

[@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE]

Hi Alex - Yep, this is an easy one as long as your crank is in relatively good shape to start with. Glad you found the video helpful! Scott

[@chadhayes1070]

I’ve watched all of your videos for project Brutus in about 2 days!! I can’t wait to see this truck back on the road!

[@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE]

Chad - Excellent! I'm starting to get excited too, as the engine is coming back together. More content on the way! Scott

[@johnmccabe4596]

They did that at caterpillar engine plant back in the late 70s when crank checker use a air gauge to check flatness.

[@2DE808]

Thanks for the shoe lace tip, definitely going to do it that way next time.

[@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE]

Happy to help, Chris. Thanks

[@royhaught9516]

A lot of projects can be done with simple methods if you have the right information. Thanks for that presentation!

[@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE]

Hi Roy - I'm a big fan of doing what I can in the garage. It comes in handy even if you still take stuff to the machine shop because you're a better informed customer. Also helps when you're jammed up trying to finish something over a weekend or on a tight timeline with no time to go to the machine shop. Thanks for the comment, Scott

[@olivialoupe1156]

Wow great vid about polishing a shank with shoelace and sandpaper! I had no idea you could do such a thing!

[@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE]

Yes, Olivia, it's actually possible, and you can get really nice results, too! Thanks for the comment, Scott

[@mac1mike]

Yup i did this to my 4 cams 5 years ago and my clearanced were good. Now i need to rebuild again with some scratches but I have no patience for it. will use a machinest.

[@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE]

It is a bit tedious, but it makes a lot of sense if you're on a budget and/or your machinist isn't nearby. Thanks

[@tastitas3]

I used a belt that's about the same width as the journals to polish instead of shoe laces.

[@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE]

John - I can see where that would work well if you rotated the belt around the crank to get even coverage. Thanks for the comment, Scott

[@tastitas3]

Yeah, i left the crank in the engine with the main caps on it so i could rotate it to get all around the journal.

[@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE]

@@tastitas3 - Gotcha. I can see how leaving the crank in the engine can help, at least with the rod journals.

[@thatgeraldguy734]

The comments geez... There's more than one way to skin a cat this cheap and easy method works great if you don't have the time or money to go to the machine shop.

[@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE]

Thanks for the input! Scott

[@DELTRANIO99]

Great info vid ,,BTW how much metal you taking off using ti method ?

[@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE]

Good question! I can't recall if I mic'ed the journals again afterwards, but I doubt that I took off enough metal to where it would change the measurement. Scott

[@CoreMaster111]

I am usually confused about sandpaper grit as EU and USA are using different standards. So I am kind of surprised that you are using EU standard P600, P1000 and P1500. For the first time I'm not confused. Thx!

[@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE]

Glad that I was able to not confuse you!

[@vanhap]

I could be mistaken i thought the machine shop uses 400 emery clothe on a large high-speed belt to remove machining imperfections while leaving micro somewhere to hold oil, like the crosshatch of the cylinders does? Thus polishing to an ultra high gloss journal liken to cylinder glazing would actually leave journals too slick and absent of any micro surfaces to hold the oil layer in suspension. It seems the bearing journal ultra polish will lower your oil pressure at the most critical places its needed the most no? I'll soon be doing this to my 1997 Toyota 4x4 3RZ 2.7 Tacoma since its apart and within spec like yours is, I was planning to use 600 alone since i want as much oil in my oil journals as possible.

[@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE]

Hi Vanhap - excellent point! In doing some research, it seems like machine shops normally use a "knocked down" (slightly worn) 400 grit belt to polish, which would be roughly the same as fresh 600 or 800 grit sandpaper. I may have taken it too far (or at least spent too much time) going over 1,000 grit and using metal polish. Thanks!

[@vanhap]

@@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE Thank you for your helpful videos, much more helpful to see and hear you do it.

[@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE]

@@vanhap happy to help! Thanks for the feedback, Scott

[@CoreMaster111]

What I have gathered is that normally they use P360 to P400 to polish standard cranks for daily drivers but bigger diesels and other more powerful engines they go with P600 or P800. Micropolishing is probably more for dragsters with really high oil pressure.

[@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE]

@@CoreMaster111 - Yes, I went a bit overboard with the very fine grit and polish, but too much polishing is certainly preferable to not enough! Thanks

[@brynden29]

Just found your videos. Awesome stuff. I am working a 4.6l mustang GT engine. I had it all together, added coolant and it all came out the oil pan. I am pretty sure that the head gasket was leaking. So I pulled it all out and tore it all down again. Now, it seems that the crank is a little harder to turn due to the coolant, I assume. I was wondering if I could just replace the rod bearing and crank bearings without taking the pistons out. Is that a good idea? Or do I need to do a complete rebuild? The car did not run with the coolant in the oil pan. I did crank it a few times before I figured out the issue. What would you do?

[@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE]

@brynden29 - KZbin isn't a great place for tech advice; your best bet is to find a web forum for Mustangs with 4.6 engines. Having said that, if you have the engine out and it's more difficult to turn, you really should tear it down and find out what's wrong. Good luck, Scott

[@brandonlai4364]

Sounds like your main bearings are binding

[@JooshDontKnow]

would you recommend using the metal polish on it if it is still in my car? i am just polishing one of the journals before replacing its bearings and want to know if it is ok to save the money on that.

[@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE]

I personally would not.

[@sean2010609]

Cut out some sandpaper and use the old Bearings to hold the sandpaper not a lace that's not going to work properly, clamp the Bearings and spin the crank with a drill sit the crank on timber cut outs at each side

[@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE]

That would work, but I think the shoelace method works well, too. Thanks

[@Kaspertube513]

Exactly, sandpaper on the bearings in the block pit crank in block loose and roll it with a drill ...even and free

[@chevy35c]

I like this way better idea!

[@billbonu1639]

Uuuhhh I'll give the machine shop 60 bucks to do it right.

[@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE]

$60 is cheap.

[@dpierson489]

This method is soo very wrong! No matter how fine the sandpaper is, it will leave a grain going in the wrong direction, like a piece of wood! If the bearings are going against it , it will eat your bearings up!! Put the crankshaft in a machine and turn it in the correct direction that the engine turns, you will never have a problem! IT'S WORTH IT TO SPEND A LITTLE MONEY TO DO IT RIGHT.

[@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE]

Sorry, but I disagree. And you don't always have to spend a lot of $ to do the job right.

[@dpierson489]

@@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE I'm an experienced machinist, and I have seen what happens when it's done wrong! LIKE YOUR DOING!!!

[@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE]

@@dpierson489 Still going to disagree. Thanks for your input.

[@dpierson489]

@@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE so what does it say when you don't want to do it right?? Without me saying it???

[@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE]

@@dpierson489 I really get tired of hearing people say that you have to bring everything to the machine shop to get anything done. You don't. Period. A lot can be done in your garage, saving you a lot of time and $ and this is one of those jobs.