Engine Bearings, Gaskets & Seals

Engine Bearings, Gaskets & Seals – What Can They Do for Me

Your vehicle’s powerplant is comprised of a near infinite list of parts and accessories that, once bolted together, form a giant air pump. The tricky part is that this air pump must remain absolutely water- and air-tight—without binding or restricting the movement of a whole host of moving parts. This is where bearings, gaskets and seals step in to keep things moving and leak-free. Read on for the breakdown of what each of these wonder parts does for you.

Engine Bearings
The engine bearings are responsible for holding rotating parts in their place and still allowing them to spin. Though there are many bearings in your engine, the two that most commonly require replacement are the Rod Bearing and Main Bearing .

Main Bearing
All engines are equipped with at least two main bearings. The crankshaft is supported in the engine block on each end by the main bearings that also allow it to spin. Some engines, especially larger ones, use more than two main bearings. Any time a main bearing replacement is warranted, the engine must be radically disassembled, so while you’re in there it’s a good idea to replace all of them with a Main Bearing Set.

Rod Bearing
The Rod Bearing is the bearing that allows the crankshaft to rotate within the connecting rod as it moves up and down. The Rod Bearing is under fantastic stress due to the rotational load caused by the movement of the piston within the cylinder. In fact, this stress is so great that the connecting rod actually stretches at the top of every rotation. Just like the main bearing, when replacing one Rod Bearing, you should replace them all with a Rod Bearing Set.

Gaskets
Engine gaskets mechanically seal the space between two flat surfaces. This prevents leaks between the two surfaces while under the massive pressures of combustion. More often than not, machined surfaces are not truly flat, due to inconsistencies in the mass-production process. Gaskets allow the mating of the irregular surfaces by filling in the gaps. Most gaskets for your automobile are made from paper, rubber, silicone, metal or cork. The most common gaskets that need replacement are the Cylinder Head Gasket, Exhaust Flange Gasket, Intake Manifold Gasket and the Valley Pan Gasket.

Seals
The main difference between engine seals and gaskets is that gaskets go between two flat surfaces—seals swim and balance beach balls. However, the Seals you’re looking for are generally rubber rings, or some pliable material, that seals off the point where a bearing meets its seating surface. Common seals that require replacement are the Camshaft Seal, Crankshaft Seal, Cylinder Head Seal and Spark Plug Seals.

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