Bearing cap nuts

[crazyotter]

Hi everyone.

Hopefully someone knows the answer to this one and if so, Thank You in advance!

I am reassembling an A4 in my garage and I have put the main bearing cap nuts back and torqued. My problem is that when this engine came apart there were cotter pins passing through the bolt but in line with slots on top of the nuts. Now the top of the nut does not line up for the cotter pin.

Do I need these cotter pins?

Thanks again,

Terry O'Neill
Cheoy Lee Bermuda 30

[Don Moyer]

Terry,

You should not use your "Castle nuts" without cotter pins, but you could
switch to self locking nuts (available at most full service auto parts
supply stores) which were used in all late model engines, or procure some
thin shims as Universal did to place under the nuts in search of a place
where the cotter pins would fit, or (if the cotter pin hole is close to a
hole) tweak the nut a small amount one way or the other until the pin lines
up.

Don

[crazyotter]

Don,
Thanks for the reply. I have been able to get some self locking nuts at my local auto parts store. Hopefully I will get some some pictures up in the near future!
Thanks again for everything!
Terry