VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1912-1928 28 main bearing inserts (?)

The local engine machine shop discoved that my block may have
been modified to accept main inserts. See the photos below. Thanks, Dex.

They all had inserts from the factory....I would suggest getting a shop manual for your rebuilder. Evidently he is not familar with these engines.

The key word here is "local". Avoid local machine shops if possible because they usually have no clue about the old vintage Chevrolet engines.

Your machine shop does not know what he is talking about. That is original to the engine.

the man is right i just went through my hole engine never been open i have the same bearing 1928 chevy couch

Anyone that owns, expects to own or wants to work on a pre-1929 Chevrolet needs to beg, borrow or steal an Shop manual or back then they may have been called a repair manual.
Heck, anyone expecting to own or restore, fix up or fiddle with any Chevrolet older that 10 years old need to b,b or s a shop manual, repair manual, assembly manual, owner's manual, parts manual and a set of service news bulletins, and any other literature for that vehicle. Computerized Auto Parts stores and Chevrolet dealers, don't have much on their computers over 10 or 15 years back. That is why we have The Filling Station, Gary Wallace, Bruce (chevy b), Stanley Parts, Chevs of the 40s, National Chevy Association, swap meets, and don't forget VCCA's G&D !......and at last resort, eBay!
By the way, did I say you need to join VCCA and a VCCA Region? well I meant to...

hi

so then was 1928 first year of bearing inserts?

Ken45145

No '28 was not the first year. Not completely sure but suspect that 1912 or 1913 was the first for inserts in Chevrolet engines. Ken K. (different Ken, Ken) am I close?

Hi Chip
The 1912 Mason engine that was used in the 1912 Little Four had insert rod bearings that were shim adjusted, but they were not the precision type as we know of today. These bearings need to be finished and fitted by scraping or with a reamer tool. This was true up through about the 1926 Series V when Chevrolet switch to pour rod bearings.
The 1912 Mason engine center insert main bearing was unfinished as well as the Sterling buillt engines used in the Chevrolet 6 cyl models.
The 1914 -28 engines all had insert main bearings that came unfinished and required reaming to fit.
kenK