tsnow678

iTrader: (3)

Don't forget to replace the plug at the red arrow. Are going to replace the dumbell while the engine is apart?

85MikeTPI

iTrader: (9)

I'll have to disagree also.. Measure that thing until you're 100% sure that it's right or wrong, but don't put it together unsure.. As soon as the first noise, vibration, leak, or sensor reading goes odd, you'll be second guessing yourself and it'll be a major PITA to troubleshoot at that point and you'll be back here like 90% of the others asking for help on that noise, vibration, leak, or sensor reading... ;-)

tsnow678

iTrader: (3)

I thought that was the machinist's job to make sure that it's right before it leaves his/her shop. Their reputation rides on the outcome of every block crank, rod, etc. that leaves. If you can't trust them and you just tried to save a few dollars here and there then yes check everything. Are you going to purchase a crate engine and tear it down just to check the bearing clearances? Same difference! O'yee of little faith.

PS I am merely messing with Bandit and didn't realize people such as yourself would take it so personal. Get back to work Bandit!

-TheBandit-

iTrader: (1)

I know I have a strong tendency to over think things, but I've known more than one person that slapped an engine together straight from the machine shop and spun a bearing early it's life. Bearing clearances are so important that I want to know with confidence they are in spec. That's why I spent the money to buy tools for measuring them. I do trust the machine shop, but I want to know why my measurements don't agree before put it together.

-TheBandit-

iTrader: (1)

No. Right now my rod clearance measurements using a bore gauge disagree with what the machine shop said. I'm getting 0.0034-0.0036 and they reported 0.0021.

Yes it is their job to make sure things are in print and they did measure, but I have to check. My motto is "trust but verify". Mistakes happen.

-TheBandit-

iTrader: (1)

Thanks! Yes I have a new dumbbell and all oil plugs (both press & thread in)

LongIsland63SS409

iTrader: (22)

Looking good !

Mike

-TheBandit-

iTrader: (1)

Tonight I refined my technique and I think I've figured out why my measurements weren't in line with the shop's. After watching some videos on micrometer techniques, someone mentioned you should be able to move the object through the mic and feel just a slight drag. What I had been doing up to this point was carefully tighten the ratchet thumb adjuster while rocking the mic a little to make sure I was perpendicular. I was getting very repeatable results, so I thought I was good, but what I discovered tonight was that after adjusting the mic in this manner, I could not get the journal to slide completely through it. This tells me I probably have not been measuring across the absolute widest part of the journal, but instead some offset dimension. It probably has something to do with being a newbie to this and also the lack of visibility due to counterweights etc on the crank.

I revised my method to instead adjust the mic so it could just slide fully across the journal and found my measurements to be larger by about .001. After referencing my new journal dimension with the bore gauge I start getting values in line with the shop's measurements: .0023, .0022, .0026, .0024. Now that's more like it!

Now I will have to go back and remeasure the main clearances to see how far they were off.

hookemdevils22

iTrader: (12)

I measured mine with a bore gauge and c-mics from the aviation R&O shop I worked at. That place was like a candy store for doing 'government work'.

And you should ALWAYS verify the machine shop's measurements. Cheap insurance.

tsnow678

iTrader: (3)

Here is a link to an article Car Craft recently wrote on dial bore gauges:

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles...uges_compared/

There were slight differences from gauge to gauge and there could be a difference in temperature causing conflicting differences from your readings and the shops measurements.

QMPRacing

i just want everyone to know that i tried to get him a replacement block any cost and i could not find one in time so i sleeved the block,decked it ,bored it,honed it with torque plates,clean & magged it,align honed it and installed the cam bearings filed the rings and checked all the clearances for No Charge

85MikeTPI

iTrader: (9)

Most of us agreed.. No need for potty mouth..

-TheBandit-

iTrader: (1)

Brad I am very happy with what you did with what was an unfortunate situation. We both looked for replacement blocks and they are just hard to come by. QMP put in a good faith effort and I hope none of what I've said came across as bad mouthing. Ultimately I was provided with a good machined block for no cost other than a long wait. Thank you so much for your help!

tsnow678

iTrader: (3)

I was in no way bad mouthing you or your business practice. I merely stated my choice in the situation would have been to wait on a replacement block. I think Bandit is more than happy with the results so what is the problem?

-TheBandit-

iTrader: (1)

Okay I give up on measuring my own clearances. Last night I went back and remeasured all the mains. I was consistently getting between .0017 and 0.0018. Then I went to remeasure the rods I measured a few days ago. I noticed right away I was getting .001 smaller measurements on the journals with my mic but I was using the same method and checked several journals. I referenced my bore gauge against the mic and not surprisingly ended up with about 0.001in additional clearance on the rods compared to my previous measurements. I have completely lost confidence in my measurements, especially with the outside mic. The only thing I can say really is that for one measurement setup, I get very consistent measurements across all bores & journals, so at least if they are good or bad, they appear to be consistent. I will have to put my trust in the guys at QMP. I'm sure they not only have better measurement tools but also have a lot more experience in measuring these things. I hate that I can't independently confirm their results, but I trust their results.

I cracked open the Comp Cams 104 engine assembly lube I bought for putting this together and was surprised to find it is a white lithium grease, not the typical "red stuff". I did some digging around and didn't find anything against using it on main & rod bearings, though it seems less common.

As of last night, all oil passages have been cleaned by brush and solvent. Bores were wiped clean with ATF and coated lightly with 10W30 engine oil. The main bearings & journals are coated with assembly lubed. The crank is in. The main caps are installed. The crank rotates freely. I went to bed with dreams of rotating assemblies spinning in my head.

frojoe

iTrader: (10)

Just to double-check, you did the crank tap forward, back, forward, then retorque the mains to set the #3 cap thrust bearing?

-TheBandit-

iTrader: (1)

I did the back then forward tap on the crank with the mains snug (not torqued), then torqued them down. I didn't know they needed to be retorqued. What procedure are you suggesting?

85MikeTPI

iTrader: (9)

I would think twice about using a lithium base lube on bearing for breakin. The thick lube is for metal-to-metal parts that don't get good oiling right away and is meant not to wash off with the oil for a while. The bearings just need a "float" lube to keep them from making contact until the oil film can rush in and float the bearings. The lithium will keep the oil film from forming and cause the bearings to start wiping within a few minutes...

frojoe

iTrader: (10)

Oh right that's what I meant. Can't remember if according to my book the initial tighten was hand-snug or to some small torque value like 10 ft-lbs, but after the tapping then yes, full torque in the normal stepped sequence.

-TheBandit-

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the heads-up! I continued reading this morning and found a few other arguments against the lithium lube. Apparently it does not dissolve well in oil at all. Some people reported finding bits and clumps of the stuff in their engines still after many miles and oil changes. Since it's easy enough to do I think I will pull the crank back out, clean the stuff off and use something else.