Bearings and rings for a novice builder

So I’m preparing to do a stock 1994 5.7L build, my very first engine build as a matter of fact. The block is sitting in my garage, boiled, blasted, machined, honed and painted, waiting for parts.

I’m sure this has been discussed numerous times here in different contexts and I’ve reviewed a lot of opinions in a lot of forums but I’m still really indecisive on what bearings and rings to use in this build.

My understanding is they tri-metal is better for performance use but less forgiving on embedding any particles that make their way into the bearing, while bi-metal is better suited for street/daily use and more forgiving with embedding… this lead me to select Bimetal. Soon after I read that aluminum bearings are iffy and I shouldn’t used them, but all the numeral bearings I see on rockauto are aluminum?

At this point I’m just looking for some guidance. All I want is for this engine to run and have a smooth break in so I can do regular old truck things with my regular old k2500. Advice?

Im not an engine builder, haven't put a motor together in prolly 20 years. But I never heard of tri or bi metal bearing. Just use Clevite bearings, and IIRC moly rings. Call a reputable engine builder/machine shop, tell them what you have and what you want, and see what they say.

Mahle/Clevite or King bearings. If you got your block clean, use the good bearings and don't worry about imbedded metal. If you didn't get your block clean, re-clean it and use the good bearings.

Used both Clevite and King without issue, Might be wrong but a bi metal is tin and aluminum, a tri metal is tin, aluminum and also has a layer of copper. Never noticed a difference getting back into one. If it's going to wreck a bearing for a clearance issue, dirty build etc. it will wreck either. Stockish build you don't want or need full groove etc.

Clean the block again, no wind, no grinding on anything around it, no fans blowing in it, bag it when not standing in front of it working on it etc. Cleanliness is next to Godliness.

Certain bore finishes do better with certain types of rings, so that's question for the machinist. What pistons?

Clevite bearings and Hastings rings!

Hipster said:

Used both Clevite and King without issue, Might be wrong but a bi metal is tin and aluminum, a tri metal is tin, aluminum and also has a layer of copper. Never noticed a difference getting back into one. If it's going to wreck a bearing for a clearance issue, dirty build etc. it will wreck either. Stockish build you don't want or need full groove etc.

Clean the block again, no wind, no grinding on anything around it, no fans blowing in it, bag it when not standing in front of it working on it etc. Cleanliness is next to Godliness.

Certain bore finishes do better with certain types of rings, so that's question for the machinist. What pistons?

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Coarse hone for iron rings and finer hone for moly rings. On my 3 stone hone it's 240 grit for iron and 320 grit for moly. Iron breaks in faster but wears out faster, moly takes more time to seat but wears better. I'm not sure which is better more resistant to detonation in terms of failure.

Supercharged111 said:

Coarse hone for iron rings and finer hone for moly rings. On my 3 stone hone it's 240 grit for iron and 320 grit for moly. Iron breaks in faster but wears out faster, moly takes more time to seat but wears better. I'm not sure which is better more resistant to detonation in terms of failure.

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I think iron rings hold their tension better when subjected to extreme heat. When I've pulled engines down that were overheated the moly rings just laid it the grooves where the iron rings still had tension.

Scooterwrench said:

I think iron rings hold their tension better when subjected to extreme heat. When I've pulled engines down that were overheated the moly rings just laid it the grooves where the iron rings still had tension.

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Makes sense. I put moly rings in my Camaro and overheated the crap out of once (somebody left the radiator cap flipper dealie up and went out to qualify). Car developed a ton of blowby that I was able to alleviate by adding a 3/4" breather line to a previously invented valve cover. I guess now I have low tension rings.

Scooterwrench said:

I think iron rings hold their tension better when subjected to extreme heat. When I've pulled engines down that were overheated the moly rings just laid it the grooves where the iron rings still had tension.

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Down side to iron rings is generally more block wear. I've put many a dumpster dingle-ball honed ring bearing jobs together with iron rings

Supercharged111 said:

I guess now I have low tension rings.

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As long as they think you're out there racing and not fogging for skeeters it's all good. lol