Is It Time For A Brake Service?

Posted on: 27 April 2020

If you've been facing some significant engine issues recently and a mechanic has advised you to consider a rebuild, you may be facing a problem with your thrust bearings. These are an important but often overlooked part of the engine operation, but they can sometimes fail prematurely due to external pressures. What do you need to know about the thrust bearings and any potential risk in the future?

Thrust Bearings in Action

Thrust bearings are part of a set of bearings that designers install to keep the engine's crankshaft in place. When the motor is rotating at full speed, the crankshaft will need to deal with considerable torque and forces that will tend to push it off-line. To counter any potential movement in the crankshaft, engineers introduce a variety of different bearings that they have to install very carefully to work correctly. Typically, the thrust bearing will be part of the main bearing assembly, but its specific job is to stop the crankshaft from moving backwards or forwards during operation. The engineer will also leave a small amount of clearance between the surfaces so that oil can penetrate, cool the parts and allow the crankshaft to "float" to a degree.

Clutch Pressure

All may be well when they first build the engine, but the thrust bearings can begin to degrade due to pressure from the transmission. Modern technology may contribute to the problem, unfortunately, if the vehicle has a specific starting system. Sometimes, the driver will need to depress the clutch pedal before they can start the engine. When they do so, the clutch assembly can push forward onto the end of the crankshaft and stress the thrust bearings. Then, when they turn the ignition to start the engine, very little oil pressure will be present, and at that point, damage can ensue.

Driving Behaviour

You should also check your driving behaviour. After all, it is also possible to stress the thrust bearings if you tend to drive with your left foot hovering on the clutch pedal so it is partially depressed.

Torque Converter

If the vehicle has an automatic transmission, other problems may arise. Sometimes, the settings may be wrong on the torque converter, and this can also overload the thrust bearings.

Fixing the Issue

Have a word with your mechanic about this issue and see if the thrust bearing failure is due to a clutch or torque converter issue. They should doublecheck the clutch release bearing to make sure that it is properly adjusted and check the configurations on the torque converter.