Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications General Mods rod knock confirmed

Upon reflection, I'm not surprised that the #1 bearing is gone. The oil lubrication system is a system of controlled leaks. If you did tend to suck air at the oil sump for any reason then there would be a mixture of oil and air bubbles. I would guess that the #1 journal would be the first bearing to see a mixture of oil and air bubbles in the event that the oil source was intermittent and regained before all flow actually stops. Air being thinner than oil would flow out of the nearest available low-pressure exit...the nearest bearing or the one with the most clearance, i.e. lowest pressure from the oil supply. On the other hand, it seems that the number six bearing would be the last to get fresh oil again once the oil supply was regained though.
It also seems to me that since it is the rod bearing clearance that controls the amount of oil being lost around the bearing, any bearing with a higher clearance proportionally than the others would probably run out of oil first in the event of a supply interruption and compound the problem.

But that's just applying a little thought to the problem and of course the real world results have varied a bit. Any feedback on this?