Bad crankshaft bearings are one of the most serious car problems.
It is complicated and in most cases expensive to fix.
But if you notice bad crankshaft bearings on time, you may well prevent even bigger damage or having to make a complete engine overhaul.
It’s pretty easy to spot if you pay some attention to your car’s engine.
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1. REDUCED ENGINE PERFORMANCE
The first symptom of bad crankshaft bearings is reduced engine performance.
It much seems as if the engine is running on a bad batch of fuel for instance.
The gas pedal response, acceleration, and else are noticeably worse than usual.
Over time it gets worse.
2. ENGINE OVERHEATING
Besides lower engine performance there might be engine overheating.
It’s not the dramatic kind where overheating happens in minutes, instead, the temperature gauge always shows temperature just above normal.
3. GRINDING AND TICKING NOISE
Next, you might start noticing a subtle grinding and ticking noise.
At first, it will be barely noticeable but as the problem gets worse the sound will become louder.
The grinding noise resembles a bad alternator bearing for instance.
This is the time to make an inspection of what’s wrong in order to save the engine from further damage.
4. ENGINE KNOCKING
After grinding and ticking, the knocking sound usually appears.
It’s barely noticeable at first and while it’s like this, you should definitely pay attention and start solving the problem.
If it comes to a loud knocking sound it’s probably too late.
5. THE OIL WARNING LIGHT COMES UP
The final symptom is the oil warning light appearing on the dashboard.
This is the finale of the bad crankshaft bearing problem.
If you wait until the oil warning light comes up it’s usually too late and there’s a big risk of damaging other engine components and causing even bigger problems.
Also, know that the oil light may come up occasionally, in the grinding ticking, and knocking phase. It may come up one minute and disappear the other.
CONCLUSION
In the end, I must emphasize this once more: with bad crankshaft bearings, reacting to the problem on time is imperative.
The moment you notice any knocking or grinding noise, it is best not to drive the car and make an inspection of what’s wrong.
Lots of times, this prevents bigger damage and can save you some serious money.
So, all in all, if you notice any of these symptoms, park the car and inspect what’s wrong as soon as possible.
Written by: Sibin Spasojevic
Former car technician, life-long car and DIY enthusiast, author for Despairrepair.com
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