I could use the collective experience. Building a 2056 with a 1.7 case, and 2.0 crank and rods. Not my first engine build, but my first aircooled build. I DID NOT align bore the case or have the crank ground. I knew the risks and wanted to do it this way. I did look very carefully at both and I made a lot of measurements. A straight edge lined up along the bores and the holes were not oval. The bore diameters checked out. The crank looked lovely so I simply polished it. Repeated measurements with micrometer and a dial caliper as backup showed the crank at a thou oversize from the top of the spec range. Well, OK, standard bearings. I'm assuming that crank journals don't get bigger from wear.

Now, after all of the drama with new cam, switching over the gear from the 1.7 crank to match the cam gear using boiling oil. And the case sealer, yada, yada.

The crank turns very smoothly - but it is stiff. I need a 6 inch lever to really turn it. There are no spots that feel different: no loose spots or tight ones. So with British and Detroit iron I can turn the crank by hand when the caps are torqued. What should I expect to find with this type of engine? I should add that I used Kent Cam lube as a prelube for the bearings. A little syrupy.

Before you get started, I know the path of wisdom was going to a machinist. Telling me that isn't going to be as helpful as describing what to expect as the case gets bolted together. BTW, I am still looking for fastener #20 - I keep counting 19. I am going to print the thread from the classics. Thanks in advance.

Is it just the crank and rods? Should spin easy, almost no effort.

As it goes together rings start to add drag.
And then the valve train starts to make it hard.
With the plugs in it will get real hard on compression.

If it is just the crank and rods you are not seated on a dowel pin proper or something. You have to take it back apart and find the problem.

I bet you misaligned the pin on bearing 1, and the bearing has crushed against the crank. Its a really common newbie error. I made it the first time.

Everything is smooth but takes a lot of force to turn the crank.

As Mark said, the crank should turn effortlessly.

Zach

Check out the "case hardware" description in the Wilson book, page 125, lower left if you haven't already.
http://books.google.com/books?id=pGhO-375i...ing&f=false

Thanks Mark. No just the crank. Do I need to order a new set of bearings if I did mis place the bearing onto a dowel? I found one bearing I thought was aligned actually wasn't so I might have missed one.

I have read this book so many times it is completely worn out. Thanks. I will check again. I can say that a fry daddy with motor oil really does the trick with the timing gear. And seems really dangerous. Certainly smells bad, which makes Wayne Dempsey's suggestion of "put in the oven at 300 degrees and don't tell your wife" a bit suspect...

if a dowel pin mashed a bearing you will need to replace it.

The other thing, and assuming that you measured clearences on your bearings before installing them and this is not really a concern, is that your bearings might be too tight. Are your bearings properly sized?

Zach

If you caught it before you cranked it down all the way you "might" get lucky.
If the bearing has a divot on the saddle side and a shiny spot on the journal side it's done.

I always dry fit my bearings and scribe a line on the saddle side so, when I install the bearing it takes the guesswork out of seeing if it sat on the dowel correctly.

Thank you Zach and Mark!

The only thing I did not measure in the whole engine was the bearing ID. The word ID sounds vaguely like idiot, which sums things up. Also, I should have scribed that line - I had seen the picture and forgot. When I get excited I sure forget things. But I did wiggle the bearings and I would swear I could feel the dowel for each one.

I now have two more questions.
A) Aside from measurement error, what are the odds of the original crank being a bit too large as I miked it?
B) How reliable are main bearing diameters? That is, is it possible that it is truly too tight a fit?

if you are having a hard time turning, it is most likely the dowel pin.

Pull it apart and face the news...then order a new set of bearings.

If you find nothing wrong with the bearings, put the case together with just the bearings and measure the ID of the bearings with the case fully torqued.

If that checks out, send your crank to a machine shop to see if its straight.
If that checks out, send the case to the machine shop.

You can get inner diameter measuring devices at Harbor Frieght, or Starretts.

rich

rich

When my engine case was put together and full torque applied, the crank spun like a bicycle wheel, even with the cam/gears in place. The rods also spun freely after full torque.

Thanks Rich,
I have the measuring devices, so I will use 'em. The funny thing is I have a spare set of bearings too. They were sent by mistake to my mother in law, who has them out in Snoqualmie. Wife used the pay pal. Can I wait till Christmas to get them though?

Well, it isn't the dowels. Triple checked. At the first sign of torquing the bearing nuts beyond finger tight the trouble starts. So now I find out the rest, piece by piece. Thank you all for the help.

I always use Plastigauge to check the bearing clearances. It's old school but it's also always right. A couple of bucks at any good auto parts and supply shop. Machinists are good, but not perfect.

Since you're still assembling/disassembling put it together dry, rotate the assembly, then when you disassemble you should see shiny parts of the bearing if you have any binding. Don't rotate anything when the Plastigauge is on a journal though.

Oversized bearing (OD) in a standard non-line bored case.
One mis-matched bearing half shell (had this happen once, brand new pack with one odd bearing)
Bent crank.

I really appreciate the replies Mark. So I spent the money on ARP bolts and of course I assembled the rods before the case. I can do some measurement on the crank with the rods on, but they are really in the way. Am I gonna have to spend another $120 on new studs to get the rods off? Does the one torquing make them history?

After several case openings and closings and eventually no joy at the end I got sick of it, but tonight I will start cleaning the parts and making measurements. I can get a rough idea of crank straightness on my lathe with a dial indicator, but crank and case are due for a trip to the machine shop.

I'm not 100% on the ARP bolts but I think it's only 911 that are one use only.

My money is on there's something off with one of the bearings.

Did you find a shiney patch on a bearing ID or wear on the crank?

Of course it's going to be under the one bearing you have to pull the gear off to get to. Mr Murphy is a total bitch.

Zach

If the rods move easily on the crank, ignore them. They should fall under their own weight, you shouldn't need to push them at all.

Make sure the cam turns easily in one case half as you get ready to close the case. The flanged cam bearing can sometimes be tight. Also keep an eye on that flanged bearing because I have had it pop out of place multiple times on me. Now I check the cam rotation, visually recheck the flanged bearing location is still correct, then don't turn the cam or crank again until the case is torqued together.

Maybe your crank is bent

Thanks Zach. I will have to check for the shiny spots, but I have only looked at #4 so far. No sign of foul play except for a sliding mark made while I was lining it up. Funny you should mention getting to #3. I had to put that gear on twice because it went on so easy from the boiling oil that it bounced out a half a millimeter the first time I put it on and I didn't notice it till it cooled. I was kinda hoping to rule out other things first this time

For those on the sidelines thinking that the price of an engine build is too high, you can bet that you are getting value and then some from a good builder who knows what they are doing. Like someone not me for example.

I am hoping that I will find a mispackaged bearing, but it seems more likely the crank or the case.

I think maybe I win a prize for stupid. I had no distributor drive thrust washer. I wanted to set the clearance as described in Tom Wilsons book, and I had a nice piece of sintered bronze that I'd been keeping. So, I turned a washer. Trouble was I had no dimensions. I made it too wide, and when pressed together it caught on the crank. To make it worse, as I rotated it, the crank moved into it, riding on the drive gear. Stupid!

Some of the best lesson`s are one`s you learn on your own!

Congrats on solving it. Beats multiple trips to the machine shop, eh?

-Jamie

Thanks. I was pleased. Odd - pleased to have been so dumb. Folks my age would remember the catch phrase -"missed it by that much."

I always wanted his car. A Sunbeam Tiger with the 260 Ford, would have been fun.