I just removed it and wahsed the engine down real good, put the new bearings in, checked the clearance, they were perfect. Lubed it up like a gay **** star with engine assembly lube and torqued down the main caps to 77 ft lbs and the damn thing wont spin. I even stripped the balancer bolt threads so I had to tap in new threads in the crank shaft. Why won't this damn thing spin. I even pulled the main caps again, and put a little motor oil on with the assembly lube and the damn thing still seizes... Help please!

 

You have a clearance that is not right. Take it apart 1 cap at a time untill you find the one that is causing the problem. Its possible to have more than 1 also.

If it wont turn dont try to force it. it should turn easily.

 

if you get 1 cap in the wrong position it`ll lock her up tight

 

it is possible you have the thrust bearing cap in the wrong position. Take a feeler gauge and check the end gap between the bearing and the crank.

 

That must be it, I just noticed it right now, their is different part numbers stamped on the main caps. Anyone have the part # order?

Front to back?

I took them off in order and put them down in order so I knew which way to install, I suppose I jumbled one some time during installation.

 

Um... you normally mark them at removal, so they can be put back in the same location. What do you see on the caps? Some three digit numbers maybe?

 

I just checked my 95 block and it has different numbers, I guess since its from an f-body. This 96 caprice has:

2363 769
2363 773
2363 797
2363 802

Im gonna go check my other block since its fully assembled and see if they are in numerical order.

 

The three digit numbers on my caps don't follow any sequence. Did you put the arrows facing the front?

 

Sure did. My 95 block follows the sequence of highest number to lowest, front to back. I still can't get this damn thing on =/. I've never had so much damn trouble with one.

 

Im startig to think these clevite bearings are the wrong size. I put my both bearings on one cap and rubbed my finger over them and they feel and look the same size.....ARGH im so close to taking this to a shop to have it assembled. Any other possibilities? Im gonna go take the crank to the machine shop tomorrow and have them mic it and give me the proper size bearings if I can't figure this crap out.

 

More than often if you look real close at the cap the factory stamped the #`s of order into them, hard to see because they were light but diff look real close at them. as long as you have the right bearings you will be able to get it to spin, just keep switching the caps..don`t tourqe them down..just tighten until the cap "drops" into the register of the block.

What I would suggest before you haul everything to have sizes checked is to remove the crank- the bearings- and set the caps on the block and tighten the main bolts to set them, with your finger rub the inside of the main bore at one of the two parting lines in each bore it should feel smooth..if you feel a lip the caps is in the wrong postion, this will get most of your caps back in a row quickly..there will probably be two that will go in either way but that is when you start tourqing in the crank..it`s only gonna spin if they are all in the original locations..good luck- give it a try

 

You can usually tell which one belongs in the front by looking at the front surface of the cap when it's installed without the bearing. The inner surface will line up between the cap and block, otherwise there is a small step or the front machine surface is out of alignment. Hard to explain but you will be able to tell. That leaves the other 3 to switch around. Number them. So you only need to try 6 different combinations. In some of those combinations, you wont even have to replace all three before you realize that combination is wrong by rotating the crank after every cap is placed down. BUT you should re-measure them with a plastigage once you have them where you think they belong.

My question is, does it rotate with the caps off? If you had the crank out then you had to remove the connecting rods. If you got 2 of the rod caps mixed up, it can also do what you are talking about.

 

It rotated with the caps off. I even tried taking all the caps off and just switching all 4 on just one bore and when I torque only one down it would never spin. Im taking the crank to the machinist today to get it mic'ed and buy the bearings they recommend.

Even when I only had the back cap on (the only one that goes in one location, thrust bearing?) It would not spin after torquing down to 77 ft. lbs.

 

pasky i hate to tell you this but you would be better off by bringing the block to the machine shop and having the mains align-bored/honed that would be the safest thing to do,i hope you are using federal mogul race bearings

 

pasky,i i have had the same problims sounds like your caps are on wrong make sure they are in the correct order and facing the correct direction. the arrow always goes towards the balancer and make sure theres no assy lube under the cap side of the bearings as it can make a tight fit tighter. it should spin with a good flick. did your new bearings leave a pressure mark on them from haveing too much pressure in a certain spot?? normaly this occurs on one side of the bearing were it is out of line.