Need help quickly installing the crankshaft!!
07-28-2009, 08:32 PM
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Need help quickly installing the crankshaft!! Hey all I've finally started building my 5.3L and already ran into a problem! This is my first LS-based motor, though I built a 302 in the past. I only have one of the caps on, slightly tightened down but not torqued and the crank won't turn! My main problem is that I forgot which way the main caps go back on??! I didn't mark them before removal, you know, since I'm a pretty smart fellow. The cap I started to install was the cap marked "1" on the backside of the crank. All the bolt holes lined up. Any help appreciated!
07-28-2009, 08:42 PM
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It's been a while since I put one together, so I'm drawing a blank right now... But that looks correct. Off the top of my head the #1 cap faces that way and the others face towards the front. Can someone else back that up?
But don't get too discouraged yet, be sure to put all the caps on and torque it to the first setting (is that 25?) and then see if it spins. They can be a bastard sometimes, especially if it wasn't line honed. At least in my experiences when I was building engines.
Sorry I can't be of more help. I'll see if I can dig anything else up for you.
But don't get too discouraged yet, be sure to put all the caps on and torque it to the first setting (is that 25?) and then see if it spins. They can be a bastard sometimes, especially if it wasn't line honed. At least in my experiences when I was building engines.
Sorry I can't be of more help. I'll see if I can dig anything else up for you.
07-28-2009, 08:56 PM
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Oh, just noticed this too... You have the #1 cap on the rear of the motor. The #1 goes at the front of the engine, then work your way back. that could be why its not spinning too.
Good luck!
Good luck!
07-28-2009, 09:07 PM
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Awesome, thanks for the help! I'll try it out and see what happens, just don't want to screw anything up! I had the #1 on the front of the motor but it didn't seem to line up. I'll yank it, try again and see how it works. Nope, not line honed, just trying to get by on a cheap rebuild so I can get my conversion running, then build a serious motor. Thanks!
07-28-2009, 09:13 PM
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Happy to help. Best of luck to you. If you run into more problems with it, I may have a few tips that would help but get the caps on right first and give that a shot.
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07-29-2009, 02:05 AM
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Well I got the rotating assembly all buttoned up and it looks good. Ran into another problem. I was going to put on the rear plate thing so I could install the cam, decided to put the new rear main seal in I have in my gasket kit. Well I can't get the old one out! I pounded it pretty well, plus broke one screw driver trying to pry it out by the tab hole things, which a thread here said is how to go about it?? Any ideas, or does this need to be pressed in/out by a shop? Thanks!
07-29-2009, 06:32 AM
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the seal will come out, just support the cover and work around the seal-after the new one is in and you are installing the rear cover, make sure you use the seal installer, most kits come with one-also make sure the cover is lined up with the oil pan mounting surface
never understood why caps 1-4 numbers line up on the same side, but the #5 number is on the oppisite side, has added confusion to it-why not just number them so the numbers are all on the same side-that really threw me off the first time i built one
the front cover also needs to be lined up, i use an old balancer for that that i honed out for a slip fit
never understood why caps 1-4 numbers line up on the same side, but the #5 number is on the oppisite side, has added confusion to it-why not just number them so the numbers are all on the same side-that really threw me off the first time i built one
the front cover also needs to be lined up, i use an old balancer for that that i honed out for a slip fit
07-29-2009, 07:06 AM
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This is what I do for those seals:
If you have a bench vise, open it up enough so the opening for the seal can sit in there. Place it face down so you are looking at the back of the cover and put your screw driver in the back lip of the seal. Get a hammer and pound it out. It's in there good. I took your picture and circled a few areas to try, just so you know what I mean. Angle the driver toward the outside of the seal (toward the housing) to get the most bite on that seal. A couple good hits and it will come out.
If you have a bench vise, open it up enough so the opening for the seal can sit in there. Place it face down so you are looking at the back of the cover and put your screw driver in the back lip of the seal. Get a hammer and pound it out. It's in there good. I took your picture and circled a few areas to try, just so you know what I mean. Angle the driver toward the outside of the seal (toward the housing) to get the most bite on that seal. A couple good hits and it will come out.
07-29-2009, 06:46 PM
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You are actually supposed to fit the cover to the rear before the new seal is put in. There are special tools to align both the front and rear covers. The rear is supposed to be lined up with the crank and block with the seal out then the seal installer mounts to the crank and the new seal is pushed in with the installer. The front cover you can put the seal in first then align the cover with the block and crank.
