203 / 403 MAIN BEARING

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203

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I have just dismantled my 203 engine which has been sleeping for 35 years.
Except for the front main bearing / collar all bearings and crank are in excellent shape.
I've seen this happen before and am wondering if anyone can offer an explanation.
Any leads for finding a set of 0.3 undersize mains?

Thanks,
Norm.
Peugeot 203 Main Bearing.jpeg
 
You can get these remetalled but hard to find anyone with the skills these days.
 
Tony Noonan 143 Comberry rd Kurrajong had some bearing sets not so long ago 0457 three142four.
not giving them away !
 
GRAHAM WALLIS said:
You can get these remetalled but hard to find anyone with the skills these days.
Click to expand...
East Australian Engineering company in Surrey Hills.
Then King bearings in Brisbane for every engine ever made

King

The description of my page
www.king-catalog.com www.king-catalog.com
Eg
 

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Thanks for the replies and suggestions. I guess the best option is a new set from DF but they cost more than I can justify. Next week I will explore remetalling and local options.
Am still unsure as to what causes this. The pieces of white metal that had broken away were still in situ - as if the bearing crumbled while the engine was in storage. Any ideas?
Will report back.

NS
 
Metal fatigue, normal for these. Some had copper lead bearings which didn’t have that problem
 
203 said:
I have just dismantled my 203 engine which has been sleeping for 35 years.
Except for the front main bearing / collar all bearings and crank are in excellent shape.
I've seen this happen before and am wondering if anyone can offer an explanation.
Any leads for finding a set of 0.3 undersize mains?

Thanks,
Norm.View attachment 228575
Click to expand...
At the risk of ridiculing me, you might consider rebuilding your engine using this front main bearing again. Many years ago (late 70s) I rebuilt quite a few 403 (same design basically as the 203 engine) engines using a front bearing showing much more damage than in your picture and I never had problems with lack of oil pressure. Providing there is no significant damage on the crankshaft, even with the missing pieces from the bearing as pictured, there is still a large bearing area available to support the crank and provide oil pressure. My opinion (based on gut feel and prejudice) on why the front bearing "fails" in this way may have something to do with the temperature gradient across the very thick bearing material leading to localized failure and bearing material loss. Note, the thin wall bearings used for main bearings 2 and 3 do not fail in this way.

Back then, on many occasions I rebuilt 403 engines using second hand parts (selecting the "best" 2nd hand rings, pistons, liners and bearings available to me) which ran well for many thousand of kilometers. Why? Because 403's with poorly performing smoky, oil leaking engines were virtually worthless but a careful engine rebuild using 2nd hand parts and a new set of gaskets (which were cheap) plus my labour (which was free!) could provide a happy owner with very useful, going 403 that may last a few more years before its final journey to the crusher.

Would I build a 403 with a second hand front main bearing now? No!. All I am reporting is that, in past I have rebuilt 403 engines using damaged front main bearing that ran successfully. I am not offering advice!

Cheers

John Thorne
 
My 203 had only 60,000 miles on it when it went into storage. After 25 years the con rod white metal bearings were crumbling. Basil Moran's early 203 had bearings in good shape after storage and the car was fitted with new pistons and sleeves but the old bearings were used. It has been through a few owners and seems to be going ok.
 
203 said:
I have just dismantled my 203 engine which has been sleeping for 35 years.
Except for the front main bearing / collar all bearings and crank are in excellent shape.
I've seen this happen before and am wondering if anyone can offer an explanation.
Any leads for finding a set of 0.3 undersize mains?

Thanks,
Norm.View attachment 228575
Click to expand...

Bearing Damage: Corrosion - Waukesha Bearings

Corrosion of the lead in copper-lead and lead-bronze alloys, and of lead-based babbitt, may be caused by acidic oil oxidation.
www.waukbearing.com www.waukbearing.com

OR may be microbiological corrosion (?)
We used to find microbiological corrosion in wire ropes that lived in and out water. If there was any copper nearby there was no corrosion, I thought that the arsenic in the copper killed the "bugs" ???
 
John,
I did consider cleaning up the bearing with a dremel but the eroded section extends to the central oil groove and would cause loss of pressure.
I've been speaking to Ray Bell - he has seen several of these lately in the same condition. When looking from the front of the engine all have suffered damage between 4 and 7 o'clock.
Any ideas why?

NS
 
To close this thread - I found a set of genuine Peugeot 0.3 U/S mains at a reasonable price in Greece.
 
Check they are the right bearings before you fit. I bought a brake master cylinder from a Greek supplier and it was for a late 403. I don't think he understood the parts book very well.
 
Russell, I was lucky - bearings now fitted and all good.Interestingly, the new front bearing is shorter than the old one but has separate thrust washers either side.
NS
 
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