Did you remove the spark plugs?

 

ya bought the c rod bolts and was half way through but couldn’t turn the crank to get the other 8

 

I understand this should be easy. But every shop is saying its not. Or refusing the work. Emailed different shops your link. They said they'd pass.One guy quoted $5000 for rods cams mains and chain. All are saying just get a new engine. I got a guy who said $1000 for rod bearings only. This is the easiest bearing job on the truck. I'll pay him. If that fixes it great. If not it's new engine time. Either way. I want to hit the road for a cross country Travel Trailer RV vacation. Not wanting to wait around around.

 

You don't list your location in your profile. Mechanic rates in Manhattan are going to be quite different from rates in rural Alabama.

Logically, there's little reason to pay $400 for the Plastigage inspection because you aren't getting a warranty. It would take 3 times the labor to do the Plastigage test as to simply change out the rod bearings... and in either case, you really won't know if the tolerances are OK until you start the motor (the real test/inspection). So skip that $400 test.

Disco transmission in Neutral, wheels chocked if not lifted onto jack stands.
Remove the spark plugs.
Drain the oil.
Drop the oil pan.
Change the 2 to 4 rod bearings that have rod caps already dropped down the lowest/easiest to reach. Just two bolts hold each rod cap. Rod caps are particular to each cylinder. Don't mix them up with #4 going to #8 or other such madness. #4 goes back onto #4. #8 goes back onto #8.
Rotate the motor so that you can reach the other rod caps and change those rod bearings. Same. Same. 8 times.

Since you aren't doing any machining, you use the same size rod bearings going in new as you pulled out old (this is just a rule of thumb, there are exceptions if you see gianormous wear which is also what the Plastigage would tell you). You want the new rod bearings perfectly clean, with oil only on their insides, never on their outside shell during installation.

Reinstall oil pan.
Refill oil.
Reinstall spark plugs.

Now test the motor!

If you've never done this job before, plan on 1 hour for oil pan removal, 1 hour per rod cap/bearings * 8, and 1 hour to reinstall.

10 hours of your time with simple hand tools, plus the cost of new bearings and oil (~~ $100 for DIY).

A mechanic with power tools should have no excuse for taking longer than 4 hours at prevailing shop rates, IMHO.

...but, mechanics fear these old trucks because they are going to get blamed for anything that goes wrong, and lots can go wrong on these old trucks.

That's why they quote higher. They figure that something else will go wrong and they will get blamed.

Changing rod bearings, for example, won't stop an oil pump from reaching its end of life (but will prevent the oil pump's life from being artificially shortened).

What changing the rod bearings WILL do is fix rod knock and improve oil pressure (but other sources can lower oil pressure such as walked cam bearings, failing oil pump, bad main bearings, etc.).


If you don't want to do the work yourself, go to nearby hobby racetracks or parts yards and ask around for shade tree mechs.

 

I agree with No Doubt , if you have the right tools is not that difficult. just follow the manuals

 

If you are in the sump anyway, why not change the mains too? I'm going to do my best to do a "bearing roll-in" on mine when I get the nerve to start this job. (Check Rover v8 bearing change on YouTube). You take a screw/bolt and file down the head to slightly thinner than the bearing shell. You put said bolt into the oil hole on the crank journal, and rotate the crank. The bolt will push the upper shell around and into place. Just remember to note the position of the notch on the shell, and also note position of oil hole on the shell.

 

How in the hell do you put the Oil Pan Grommet back on one ripped so I ordered 2 new ones from Britishatlantic

and also got most of the rod connectors torqued Down but crank again won’t move so first 2 connecting rods are not torqued to spec

I love this vehicle but it’s pissing me off😩

2003 disco Phenix city Alabama

 

Mains can be changed from below, but take more effort than the rod bearings. Since you can do the Mains at the next oil change interval for no additional cost DIY, it makes sense to wait if you have any rod-related issue.

Do the rod bearings. Try the motor.