donzi matt

Don't forget to replace your oil cooler before firing up your new motor. It is an easy step to overlook and could send bearing material through your new motor.

Randy Nielsen

If memory serves correct when the crank is installed & mains torqued to spec it should turn without having to use a breaker bar am I right? I wiped down the bearing surfaces in the block & caps and the back side of the bearings with a clean towel so there wouldn't be anything under the bearings. Lightly wiped the crank & bearing surfaces so there was no dust or anything, set the crank and plastigaged the mains. I got .0010 on #1, .0015 on # 2,3,4 & 5. According to the merc manual I have they should be torqued to 110 ft lbs. The book says #5 is a little tight by .001. I removed the crank & decided to lube everything and try it to at least see how it turned. The problem doesn't seem to be with #5, it seems to be #3 that makes it drag & actually feels like something is egg shaped as it turns. I stopped there. With everything that has gone on I seriously considered a sledge hammer & toss the pieces through these shops front windows!!! Where do I go from here????

Budman II

I would not trust plastigauge for a high HP marine build. That's something you use for the 350 you are rebuilding for your old pickup truck. You need to have a competent machinist check everything with the proper tools. Sounds like you may have a bent crank, main saddles out of alignment, etc. The old bearings would have wear patterns on them that would be the telltale for problems like this. Spend a little extra and get it done right!

Rookie

Isn't that to tight for clearances? I believe mine are 0.0032" mains and 0.0027" rods.

donzi matt

That main tolerance is too tight. Something is horked. The crank should rotate very smoothly when installed.

SB

This might be tough to hear, but are we ready to take this motor somewhere else ?

Randy Nielsen

I am taking the crank & everything else to another shop then the block if needed. Here I go AGAIN!!!

Randy Nielsen

Well guys, I got everything back again. The crank was turned .010 under on the mains. The line bore was checked & found to be ok. Mains measure .0025 on 1-4 and .0035 on #5. the crank turns free with .008 end play. I installed the pistons & have no side clearance on 1-2 rods all others are ok. Nothing was changed with rods or pistons, other than rod journals repolished & new bearings I can't see how that would affect side clearance unless the shop that polished their screw up screwed up yet again! The most recent shop did no work in that area because it wasn't requested by me. How did this F@#KING engine even run without completely tearing itself apart?

ezstriper

somebody not doing there job...no rod clearance at all ??

donzi matt

What bearings are you running and what crank is this? If you should be using a P bearing with a chamfered edge for a crank with a fillet and you try to install H bearings you will have no side clearance. I quickly glanced but didn't see which crank you are running.