Start with the crank, lube the bearings and torque the caps. Crank should spin effortlessly by hand. Check for crank runout.... should be a thou or less (need a mag base and dial indicator).

Without the plugs in, the assembled short block should still spin easily by hand. You definitely need to check those clearances. If you're going to be putting stuff like this together you need to invest in some tools.

Let us know what you find.

-Mindgame

 

Sounds like you have some clearance issues.If you try to run the engine that tight it is gonna cost you a lot more money.
A good build should turn with a 1/2" drive ratchet with no more than 30-40lbs of pressure applied.Just think of will it turn if I tie a 30-40lb weight to the end of the handle.With some brand of rings it will be a little higher but if it is real "hard" with a ratchet I would tear it back down and find out why.Otherwise it will cost you"more"money. Let us know what you find.

 

i have all the tools we need.

like i said tho, the crank turned freely when it was torqued down, and as i added pistons/rods it got a little harder each time

i looked up some clearance specs and i found that i'm supposed to have .009 inches of clearance between each connecting rod and the connecting rod and crank.

i only had .002. i have no idea why, the rods and crank are the ONLY part of the engine (other than the block) that are stock. so you'd think they'd go together like they were.

i guess my only option is to have the crank turned .010 under and get new bearings, that's the only thing i can think that might fix the problem.

i really don't see how there can be a clearance issure between the rods and crank. the rods were all put back in the same location that they were taken out of. as they are stamped with a number.

the only thing that i can think of that would cause this is a surface rust on the sides of the crank journals. i can't see any. (but i'm colorblind so it all blends in). i'll just have to take the crank out and have someone look at for me. but that won't be for a while, since i'll be busy with work for a while...

oh well, hopefully it won't be anything more than having the crank turned and new bearings. but who knows..

and as far as it being the machine shops fault, i don't see how, they never had the crank at their shop. and they would of had to ADD material to the rods to of caused this.

 

Make sure the rod pair is seperated (slide them apart) when you check the side clearance. If the clearance is too tight, then you'll need the machine shop to remove material from the connecting rod on the inside faces to get to spec.

So the machine shop never machined your crank? No rod or main journal grinding.... no gauge for big end rod clearances... that's no good. This time, take the rods when you take the crank and have them (or you) make sure the bearing clearances are correct.

Your shop should be able to straighten you out on these issues when you tell them what's going on.

Good luck.

-Mindgame

 

In case anybody in the midwest is needing work done, there is a shop in Lawrence Kansas that does impeccable work reasonably cheap. The name is Craig Built, owned by Darrel Craig and I know his work well and have never seen anything come from his shop that was less than 100%.

A friend had everything done that can be done except roller cam bearings, and it was about $800 for the block. That includes line bore/splayed mains/zero deck/bore,hone/AND bronzed/bhj lifter bores. VERY reasonable prices for that kind of work, but he has lots of work and a waiting list.

For your basic rebuild, a place called Campbell Crankshaft in KC will boil, bore, and hone a block for $150. I've used them for blocks, rods, and crankshafts and their work has always been top notch.

 

david97gsxr,

Engines done right are absolutely NOT hard to turn over at first? Something is wrong plain and simple so you need to find it before anything else is damaged. Depending on the rings they may be harder or easier than others to turn over but should get EASIER to turn the more you've turned them as the rings and such get oiled and wear in a tiny bit but basically shouldn't change a lot till they are run. I've seen from 40 foot pounds to 10 foot pounds as to initial TQ required to turn over a new shortblock depending on ring tension and hone jobe. Who knows what kind of hone job there is either from a place that charges that kind of money because they can't be checking anything or taking their time and still stay in business. There's no way they probably even used a TQ plate is there?!?

 

Also make sure the rods aren't hung backward and the fillets are touching depending on what crank and if you need chamfered bearings!

 

i havn't even messed with the engine in the last week, i've been working and such. but i know it's nothing to do with the cylinders themselves. or the rings. because with every piston in, and all the connecting rods on the crank, but just loosely on the crank. the engine turns freely, and i can torque down all the rods but 1 and it still turns freely, but when i torque the last one is when it locks up. i even took that piston/rod out and cleaned the crank and bearing journals and replaced the connecting rod bearing. and it still locked it up.

what does this mean "Also make sure the rods aren't hung backward and the fillets are touching depending on what crank and if you need chamfered bearings!"

 

there is a large radius in the corners of the rod journals where they blend into the rest of teh crank and these need claerance usually in teh form of chamfered bearings. You may have that last one wrong or the bearings in upside down ect.

 

Check to see if that "one" rod bearing might be undersize for your rod throw dia.

 

I think he switched a couple rod caps!

 

Very well could be.

 

no, i didn't switch any rod caps, they have numbers 1-8 stamped on the cap and the rod. so i know they're okay.

however, i think the problem is ineed, that rods, 1, 3, 5, and 7 are upside down.

but i havn't got around to messing with it.....been busy.

 

I dropped everything off with Bret Bauer (SStrokerAce)...at least I don't have to worry now if it will be done right or not now...don't know what it's going to run me yet though.

 

You leave a blank check too?



-Mindgame