Problems assembling LT1 bottom end
 

Im assembling the bottom end of my 93 lt1 . Ive gotten 7 our 8 rod/pistons in correctly and caps torqued down. Ive got the last one in and everytime i torque the caps down the assembly wont roatate. ive tryed torqueing it to 15 pounds just to see it if would rotate and no such luck. unbolt the cap and it rotates find ive run out of ideas what to do . any help would be awesome.
greg

Re: Problems assembling LT1 bottom end
 

is the piston in the right direction?

Re: Problems assembling LT1 bottom end
 

So you are saying is when you torque down the connecting rod caps, the assembly wont turn? Need a little info as have the Rods been resized, Crank been turned, are you sure you have the correct bearings sizes? what are you doing and what machine work has been done.

Re: Problems assembling LT1 bottom end
 

Doesn't sound too good!

Re: Problems assembling LT1 bottom end
 

I'm assuming that the cam is in the block yet, so it would seem to me that you're dealing with a clearancing issure, either with this rod or maybe the last one that you torqued. Check for clearance between the rod and the bottom of the bore and along the pan rail. I'm also guessing that this is a stroker??

Re: Problems assembling LT1 bottom end
 

This is just a stock rebuild for my s10 for my dailey driver. when i torque the cap down the assembly will not turn over. but if i loosen teh cap it will turn. i tryed the old bearings to see if the new bearings maybe wherent the right size but it didi the same thing. the cam is in already. the piston has the arrow pointing towards the fron of the engine like the other 7. the crank hasnt been turned everything was in specs. the cynlinder have been honed thats all the machine work that has been done.rods have not been resize either.i wish it was a stroker but alas its just a stocker rebuild stock pistons rods and crank. would undersized bearings work this is wierd and makes no sense to me ive built a few engines and never had this problem
greg

Re: Problems assembling LT1 bottom end
 

How's the rod side clearance when you've torqued down the cap?

Re: Problems assembling LT1 bottom end
 

side cleareance is good odnt remember exact what it was but it was satisfactory. i think its the rod. i might have to put the pistons on my old rods
greg

Re: Problems assembling LT1 bottom end
 

Well, if its not side clearance and its not physical rod-to-block or rod-to-cam interference, then its got to be bearing clearance, right?

Plastigauge is way cheaper than rods :-) What is the bearing clearance?

Re: Problems assembling LT1 bottom end
 

it has got to be the bearings to they make undersize bearings?
greg

Re: Problems assembling LT1 bottom end
 

Yeah, the make over and under size bearings, but regardless you've got to measure.

Re: Problems assembling LT1 bottom end
 

ive measure ive gotten it written down at home im not at home at a freinds i dont have a pc so dont have everything with me . why is this one rod like this but the other are fine?

Re: Problems assembling LT1 bottom end
 

They are not the original connecting rods? Maybe one rod is out of round.
Have they been checked?

Re: Problems assembling LT1 bottom end
 

are you sure the chamfer on the rod and cap is pointed away from the other rod on that journal ? You could be binding on the journal rad. Remove the bearing and use light/magnification if needed, to see if there is a shiny area on the bearing indicating contact. You could also paint the bearing mith blue machinist dye, or a black Sharpie, assemble, then look again.

Re: Problems assembling LT1 bottom end
 

Is the cap on backwards?