Complete Engine Build step by step

[Blown&Injected]

Check out eBay for the mics. I got a very nice set of professional quality mics and standards. Did not find any great deals on the dial bore gauge so I got that new.

 

[Clark6]

just a quick question b-cuz id like to know is .40 over the max you can go?? mines a tight .30 & was wondering if i needed to did i have one more bore like you did or doing rather? maybe with a girdle??? thanks ..

 

[Razor]

I couldnt find either instruments so i did it with the snap guage and checked it with plastiguage. All of my clearences for the rods and mains were between .0013" and .0025". I am going to settle for this. Tomorrow i should get my rear main along with the rest of my gaskets. Does anyone have a type of sealant that has been working well between the gurdle and the pan rail? Also, what sealant for the rear main has everyone been having results with? And last but not least, Torque pattern for the mains with the gurdle. Thanks alot guys.

.0013 is too tight. .0025 is too loose. Better check that line hone :redface:

Usually I'll look at the bearing and the way it scuffs when spun on oil for high/low spots.

I use the "Right Stuff" RTV and do a double bead. One inside pan rail, one outside panrail. No leaks. I use it on the rear main as well. make sure you install rear main seal properly and not flipped. Leave the block girdle up and let it dry. If you flip it over before the RTV dries.. and any oil hits the RTV.. you will be the proud owner of the exxon Valdez.

For TQ.. work inner to outer. Crank better spin nice and easy when you TQ it all down.. the slightest resistance.. its gotta come back apart.

Also make sure your crank is within tolerance.. some can be off a few .0001 and catch bearings.. The spin test in block will show any issue.

HTH

 

[KWIKR 1]

You cannot measure bearing clearance even close to accurate with a snap gauge and a mic. You need a dial bore gauge and a ball mic, only way to get the correct measurements, your machine shop did this when they machined everything. You have the rear bearing in the front journal, hence the offset.

question . why a ball mic ? to measure the bearing shell thickness ? do you measure the two thickness of the shells and subtract it from the bore size to obtain your clearences ? then subtract the measurement of the crank for the overall oil clearance ? that would be more accurate than just using a dial bore guage with the bearings already installed and torqued in the mains ? thanks .

 

[EightSecV6]

question . why a ball mic ? to measure the bearing shell thickness ? do you measure the two thickness of the shells and subtract it from the bore size to obtain your clearences ? then subtract the measurement of the crank for the overall oil clearance ? that would be more accurate than just using a dial bore guage with the bearings already installed and torqued in the mains ? thanks .

correct on the measurements and use the dial bore gauge to check the bore in order to determine the proper amount of "crush" to the brg.

 

[87we410877]

.0013 is too tight. .0025 is too loose. Better check that line hone :redface:

Usually I'll look at the bearing and the way it scuffs when spun on oil for high/low spots.

I use the "Right Stuff" RTV and do a double bead. One inside pan rail, one outside panrail. No leaks. I use it on the rear main as well. make sure you install rear main seal properly and not flipped. Leave the block girdle up and let it dry. If you flip it over before the RTV dries.. and any oil hits the RTV.. you will be the proud owner of the exxon Valdez.

For TQ.. work inner to outer. Crank better spin nice and easy when you TQ it all down.. the slightest resistance.. its gotta come back apart.

Also make sure your crank is within tolerance.. some can be off a few .0001 and catch bearings.. The spin test in block will show any issue.

HTH

Hey what exactly do you meen by installing th erear main not flipped? Are you saying to put the seals and RTV in with the bearing race facing the sky off of the block? Thanks alot.

 

[KWIKR 1]

correct on the measurements and use the dial bore gauge to check the bore in order to determine the proper amount of "crush" to the brg.

thanks ! I'll have to try that method . you learn something new everyday .

 

[Razor]

Hey what exactly do you meen by installing th erear main not flipped? Are you saying to put the seals and RTV in with the bearing race facing the sky off of the block? Thanks alot.

The seal has a lip.. make sure its pointed in the rite direction :redface:

Yes on the cap edge and then use the rtv with a 1/4 inch washer on its nipple and pump the side cavities till RTV ooozes out the front and back of the rear cap.

 

[87we410877]

Thanks man. Love the Sh** out of your kit BTW!!

 

[87we410877]

I put the crank in and torqued it to not even 20 ftlbs and it wouldnt budge. Im going to measure the caps bore w/o the bearing and make sure they are correct. If so, im going to have to polish the crank journals untill i get it right. The Plastiguage confirms a less than .001 clearance.

 

[EightSecV6]

I put the crank in and torqued it to not even 20 ftlbs and it wouldnt budge. Im going to measure the caps bore w/o the bearing and make sure they are correct. If so, im going to have to polish the crank journals untill i get it right. The Plastiguage confirms a less than .001 clearance.

.001 is way too tight, I would shoot for a minimum of .0022-.0025 for a street engine, more loose for a race car,

 

[KWIKR 1]

.001 is way too tight, I would shoot for a minimum of .0022-.0025 for a street engine, more loose for a race car,

I agree . IMO it seems a lot of people are stuck on tight limits getting cranks ground on the "high side" for real tight clearances . any crank I get ground are ground in the "mid limits" shooting for a .002"-.0025" clearance on the mains . by no means am I a pro engine builder just someone who has done a bit of research on it . it just seems like a little bit better of a fail safe build into the engine that is going to be used for ANY kind of performance application . some people refer to not getting your engine build to loose Chevy specs . any Chevy builder I know that's worth his salt , builds his street/strip Chevy motors to the same specs as above and not on the "loose side" as suggested by some .

 

[Blown&Injected]

.001 is way too tight, I would shoot for a minimum of .0022-.0025 for a street engine, more loose for a race car,

Are you using the High Volume oil pump with engines set at .0025 and higher? How about oil cooler options? Some claim external oil coolers will keep the oil pressure up on "loose" engines.

Thanks.

 

[87we410877]

.001 is way too tight, I would shoot for a minimum of .0022-.0025 for a street engine, more loose for a race car,

Thats what i was shooting for. Closer to .0025" would be perfect for what im doing. What are my options here? And thanks again.

 

[Razor]

Thanks man. Love the Sh** out of your kit BTW!!

The last 4 motors have had .0018-.0002 on the rods and mains kept great oil pressure and perfect bearings.. I've been using softer bearings(King) and no issues.

What I do is install crank onto the bearings with just oil no rear seal and spin it.. after all is TQ'd down.. it should spin with very little effort and take off as soon as it starts to spin. Looking at bearings will show any issues with line hone/cap alignment. Sounds like you have a bent crank, or issue with line hone..

Clearances on these motors have to be dead on nuts.. the oiling system sucks and doesnt allow for any mistakes. If your machine shop cant handle the job... find another one.

FWIW.. when I pick my block from my shop.. crank is installed and girdle is TQ down.. that way I know i'm not going to run into crap assembling it. Spins like vinyl shoes on butter

Its either rite or its not. Too tight you'll burn and spin the bearings.

And yes.. i've been to the machine shop back and forth on many issues.. probably why they dont like working on Buick junk

HTH

 

[87we410877]

The last 4 motors have had .0018-.0002 on the rods and mains kept great oil pressure and perfect bearings.. I've been using softer bearings(King) and no issues.

What I do is install crank onto the bearings with just oil no rear seal and spin it.. after all is TQ'd down.. it should spin with very little effort and take off as soon as it starts to spin. Looking at bearings will show any issues with line hone/cap alignment. Sounds like you have a bent crank, or issue with line hone..

Clearances on these motors have to be dead on nuts.. the oiling system sucks and doesnt allow for any mistakes. If your machine shop cant handle the job... find another one.

FWIW.. when I pick my block from my shop.. crank is installed and girdle is TQ down.. that way I know i'm not going to run into crap assembling it. Spins like vinyl shoes on butter

Its either rite or its not. Too tight you'll burn and spin the bearings.

And yes.. i've been to the machine shop back and forth on many issues.. probably why they dont like working on Buick junk

HTH

Yea im getting to think that they dont liuke me very much either at the shop haha. I just brought the block and crank to the shop. He also suggested it was a bent crank but has not looked into it. The guy has been doing this for about 40 years and is very reputable. He's going to check everything. I'll let you know as soon as i know. It was a CAT crank BTW.

 

[KWIKR 1]

The last 4 motors have had .0018-.0002 on the rods and mains kept great oil pressure and perfect bearings.. I've been using softer bearings(King) and no issues.

What I do is install crank onto the bearings with just oil no rear seal and spin it.. after all is TQ'd down.. it should spin with very little effort and take off as soon as it starts to spin. Looking at bearings will show any issues with line hone/cap alignment. Sounds like you have a bent crank, or issue with line hone..

Clearances on these motors have to be dead on nuts.. the oiling system sucks and doesnt allow for any mistakes. If your machine shop cant handle the job... find another one.

FWIW.. when I pick my block from my shop.. crank is installed and girdle is TQ down.. that way I know i'm not going to run into crap assembling it. Spins like vinyl shoes on butter

Its either rite or its not. Too tight you'll burn and spin the bearings.

And yes.. i've been to the machine shop back and forth on many issues.. probably why they dont like working on Buick junk

HTH

Razor , with those clearances was the crank ground on the "high side limit" ? thanks .

 

[Lee Thompson]

Crank

If you have a dial indicator, you can put the front and rear bearing shells in the block --drop crank in with a little lube and check for straight by running off # 2 and #3.
As Razor stated --they have to be dead on, but it is not brain surgery.

 

[87we410877]

If you have a dial indicator, you can put the front and rear bearing shells in the block --drop crank in with a little lube and check for straight by running off # 2 and #3.
As Razor stated --they have to be dead on, but it is not brain surgery.

I was going to do that but im already having eneough problems and i dont need to F it up after i have this much $ into it. So, i'll leave it to the pros. Engine should be back next week.

 

[Jerryl]

............. im already having eneough problems and i dont need to F it up after i have this much $ into it. So, i'll leave it to the pros. Engine should be back next week.

Good call!
(in Clint Eastwood Voice): "A man got to know his own limitatons".

Edit;
No offense intended.
That is why I paid a *REPUTABLE* machine shop experienced in TR building.
I could not afford another mistake.