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Detection of Ceramic bearings in the block

DynoDon

DynoDon

Moderator
This should rock the boat !!! I was told that the ceramic bearings will not hold a continuity test when probing the ball and the carrier. Is there any truth to that? Looking to detect them on the crank.
 
How would it be measured? Completing a circuit or resistance? Oil conducts electricity and if the ceramics are coated, they might likely show resistance with an ohm meter. I'd bet it would be a lot less than ferrous bearing material.
 
I would definately do some hands-on testing to verify, but I think that you would have to set a tolerance and check for resitance, and if it was above the agreed number of ohms, it would be ceramic.
 
Rikk "Oil conducts electricity"
Isn't oil an insulator ?
IF you had an ohm meter that would read accurately to 5 decimal places, you might be able to detect ceramic bearings by reading from one end of the crank to the other.
Steel bearings would read lower ohms. Ceramic higher ohms.
If ceramics run w/less vibration as WinnersCircle says, (I'm guessing due to being more round/smooth) you could probably find them via vibration easier than ohms.
There are some bearing testing machines out there that read bearing vibrations as a way to do predictive maintenance.
They ain't cheap.
 
Bumpy said:
Rikk "Oil conducts electricity"
Isn't oil an insulator ?
IF you had an ohm meter that would read accurately to 5 decimal places, you might be able to detect ceramic bearings by reading from one end of the crank to the other.
Steel bearings would read lower ohms. Ceramic higher ohms.
If ceramics run w/less vibration as WinnersCircle says, (I'm guessing due to being more round/smooth) you could probably find them via vibration easier than ohms.
There are some bearing testing machines out there that read bearing vibrations as a way to do predictive maintenance.
They ain't cheap.
Click to expand...

I was thinking it was, but after your post and a quick google search, turns out it's not. There I go for thinking out loud again. :)
 
<sigh>

If you can detect microns of vibration amongst tenths of inches, then I yield to your superior technology. Just don't get me started on cryogenic treatment.
 
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Electricity is going to try to take all paths but you will be reading the combined paths of least resistance.

If the path of least resistance is through the oil then that is what your reading will indicate. To find out what you will read and if an Ohm meter will be all that is needed, you will have to test different situations. Pretty much if there is any direct metal path, you will get zero on your meter. But if the path is only through oil on the bearings, maybe you will be able to read something I don't know... try it and see.

If there are two bearing, one on each end of the crank and someone used only one ceramic bearing, you will read zero and your test will tell you nothing. I say that because I don't know if what your testing uses two bearings or not.
 
paulkish said:
Electricity is going to try to take all paths but you will be reading the combined paths of least resistance.

If the path of least resistance is through the oil then that is what your reading will indicate. To find out what you will read and if an Ohm meter will be all that is needed, you will have to test different situations. Pretty much if there is any direct metal path, you will get zero on your meter. But if the path is only through oil on the bearings, maybe you will be able to read something I don't know... try it and see.

If there are two bearing, one on each end of the crank and someone used only one ceramic bearing, you will read zero and your test will tell you nothing. I say that because I don't know if what your testing uses two bearings or not.
Click to expand...

Which is why I said "a meter that reads accurately to 5 decimal places." And it may need even more decimal places (on the right side of the DOT)
IF the meter reads thru the oil, a ceramic bearing being non-conductive would read higher ohms than a steel bearing because the # of paths from lead to lead on the meter would be fewer.
And again - oil does not conduct electricity. At least not at the level of voltage available in a regular ohm meter.
 
I must be missing something... If you can hit the ball with a probe, that means the seal is out of the way. If the seal is out of the way, you should be able to visually tell if it is a ceramic bearing or not.

Regardless of the bearing, the crank and block are going to have continuity through the piston and rod.
 
DynoDon said:
This should rock the boat !!! I was told that the ceramic bearings will not hold a continuity test when probing the ball and the carrier. Is there any truth to that? Looking to detect them on the crank.
Click to expand...

Are you looking to detect them on the crank, when the crank is in or out of the engine?
 
Good points. But I'm still sticking with ceramic bearings are a waste of your money - period. I think they should be legal only because its foolish.

The only practical and noticeable use is in instruments that require ultra precision and or speed such as molecular diffusion pumps (yes, its a real thing) non magnetic and or high temperature. And only where the races and balls are of ceramic material - not just the balls!
 
B-man said:
Good points. But I'm still sticking with ceramic bearings are a waste of your money - period. I think they should be legal only because its foolish.

The only practical and noticeable use is in instruments that require ultra precision and or speed such as molecular diffusion pumps (yes, its a real thing) non magnetic and or high temperature. And only where the races and balls are of ceramic material - not just the balls!
Click to expand...

Ceramic bearings can make speed. NasCar wizards pioneered them I think.
I don't anticipate ever racing at the level where that .001mph/lap is gonna make a difference. :)
Crap. I haven't figured out tires yet.
No need for more speed til I do.
Or there will be no more speed til I do.
Whatever.
 

DynoDon said:
This should rock the boat !!! I was told that the ceramic bearings will not hold a continuity test when probing the ball and the carrier. Is there any truth to that? Looking to detect them on the crank.
Click to expand...

Boats already been a'rocking Don :) ... what you were told is correct ... It's actually easier to probe between the inner or outer race and the steel retainer cage, rather than between a ball and the retainer (carrier) ... and yes, the test will work with the bearings on the crank ... in or out of the block.


 
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