630826 - Continental Motors OEM Connecting Rod Upper Bearing

630826 – Continental Motors OEM Connecting Rod Bearing

Available now on the Airparts.aero Marketplace.

Overview

The Continental 630826 is a genuine OEM, standard-size connecting rod bearing half-shell. This flight-critical component is precision-engineered to serve as the low-friction interface between the connecting rod and the crankshaft crankpin journal. Sold as a single half, two are required per connecting rod to form a complete bearing assembly. The 630826 is constructed using a sophisticated multi-layer design to withstand the immense rotational speeds and combustion forces within the engine. As a genuine Continental part, it guarantees the precise dimensions, material composition, and quality necessary for a reliable, long-lasting engine overhaul that meets FAA airworthiness standards.

Key Features

• Tri-Metal Construction: Features a high-strength steel backing for structural support and press-fit retention, an intermediate copper-lead alloy layer for load-bearing capacity and heat dissipation, and a thin Babbitt (tin-based) overlay for lubricity, embeddability, and seizure resistance.
• Precision Thickness Control: Manufactured to exceptionally tight tolerances to ensure the correct oil clearance when installed. This precise clearance is fundamental for the creation of the hydrodynamic oil wedge that prevents metal-to-metal contact.
• Optimized Oil Flow: Often incorporates design features such as oil holes or grooves that align with the connecting rod's oil passages, ensuring a constant supply of pressurized oil to the bearing surface.
• Embeddability: The soft Babbitt overlay is designed to absorb microscopic contaminants in the engine oil, preventing them from scoring or damaging the hardened crankshaft journal.
• Genuine OEM Part: Ensures the use of materials and manufacturing processes that are certified by Continental and the FAA. This is the only way to guarantee conformity to the engine's original type certificate.

Technical Specifications

• Part Number: 630826
• Component Type: Connecting Rod Bearing Half-Shell (Standard Size)
• Quantity Required: 2 per connecting rod
• Construction: Multi-layer (Steel, Copper-Lead, Babbitt/Tin)
• Function: Serves as a hydrodynamic plain bearing for the connecting rod journal.
• Critical Parameter: Oil Clearance (set by bearing thickness and journal diameters)
• Certification: FAA Production Approval

Engine Compatibility

The Continental 630826 standard bearing is specified for a wide range of Continental's most ubiquitous engine models. It is essential to consult the specific engine's Illustrated Parts Catalog (IPC) and overhaul manual to verify the correct bearing size (standard or undersize) required for your crankshaft journals.

• Compatible Engine Series:
  • O-470, IO-470, TSIO-470
  • IO-520, TSIO-520
  • GTSIO-520
  • IO-550, TSIO-550

Applications

The 630826 bearing has one singular, flight-critical application:

• Engine Rotating Assembly: Creates the low-friction, high-load bearing surface that allows the connecting rod to rotate smoothly around the crankshaft journal.
• Mandatory Overhaul Component: Connecting rod bearings are always replaced during any engine overhaul. The crankshaft journals are measured, and if they are within new limits, standard (STD) bearings like the 630826 are used. If the crank has been reground, an appropriately sized undersize bearing must be used instead.

Why Choose 630826?

The failure of a connecting rod bearing is one of the most destructive events that can occur within an engine, leading to immediate seizure and catastrophic failure. The quality, material, and dimensional accuracy of this component are non-negotiable. Using a genuine Continental 630826 OEM bearing guarantees that you are installing a part that meets the exact specifications for hardness, heat transfer, and oil clearance that the engine was designed for. For any professional engine builder or A&P mechanic, using genuine Continental bearings is a fundamental requirement for a safe, reliable, and airworthy engine.

Order Your 630826 Connecting Rod Bearings Now

Build your engine with the certified quality and reliability of genuine Continental components. Visit Airparts.aero to order your 630826 connecting rod bearings today.

The Continental 630826 connecting rod bearing is a quintessential example of a hydrodynamic fluid film bearing. It is designed not to make contact with the crankshaft journal during operation. Instead, as the crankshaft rotates, it pulls pressurized engine oil into the narrowing, wedge-shaped clearance between the bearing and the journal. This action generates immense pressure within the oil film (the hydrodynamic wedge), creating a layer of oil that is stiff enough to support the full combustion load while keeping the metal surfaces physically separated. The proper functioning of this system is entirely dependent on maintaining the oil clearance within the tight tolerance specified by the manufacturer, typically around 0.001" to 0.003". This is why the precision thickness of the 630826 bearing shell is its most critical attribute.

Note: This is a critical engine internal component. Installation must be performed by a certified A&P mechanic during engine assembly in strict accordance with the procedures and specifications outlined in the current Continental Motors Overhaul Manual. This includes meticulous cleaning, inspection and measurement of the crankshaft and connecting rods, and proper torquing of the connecting rod bolts.