Complete Engine Build step by step

[87we410877]

This is going to be a fairly long thread consisting of my entire build starting with the block and ending with the track. With the help and experience from everyone on here, I will hopefully have a well running motor and it will go together correctly. Thanks alot. Enjoy. The first pic is the bare motor from the machine shop. Decked, bored .040" over, align honed, new cam bearings, gurlde installed, boiled, and new freeze plugs. The second is with paint on the block.

 

[87we410877]

These are some pics of setting the ring gaps. I called Total Seal tech support and he told me .023" for the top ring .018" for the second and .015" min for the oil controll rings. I did some reading and it seems that recent technology proves that setting a larger gap in the second ring than in the first, reduces pressure between the rings, thus, less wear is put on the top compression ring and better compression and HP is made. So, i gapped them at .024" to .026".

 

[87we410877]

This is just one of the gurdle because it looks cool. Any ideas or suggestions, PLEASE chime in. Thanks alot.

 

[MSDGN]

First thing is I hope you removed the girdle when it came back from the shop and totally scrubbed the block...inside and out...especially paying attention to the oil galleries...with some engine brushes and warm soapy water...second thing is in the first pics I noticed looking at the side view of the block that the gap between the girdle and pan rail is waaay too big...it's supposed to be .005...if the mains were torqued and that's the way the girdle sits then you have troubles...

 

[87we410877]

The gurdle is just resting on there. haha. It was machined with .005" clearence between the pan rail and gurdle. Timing case was also milled to get the .005". I wanted to put it on there so i didnt loose anything and also to see how it looked. The block was boiled after all the machine work was done. I blew it off with compressed air and coated with oil. Thanks alot for the tips though. I want to avoid any problems if thats possible. I just picked up the crank and bearings today. Coming soon is measuring the crank to bearing clearences and rod to bearing clearences. I need to get my micrometer from work . Thanks again.

 

[87we410877]

Heres some pics of measureing the clearences of the mains. My goal was .002" to .0025". I am using FM107M bearings. The ones in the pictures are .001" under. For some reason i keep getting .0010" to .0011" on the front journal. All journals measured out to 2.49870. Im not sure if using different bearings in the set would open it up at all or moving to a different cap would help, or should i get a set of .002" under? Also, are the bearings supposed to be offset like in the last picture? What have you guys been using on the CAT cranks for bearings? Thanks alot.

 

[EightSecV6]

You cannot measure bearing clearance even close to accurate with a snap gauge and a mic. You need a dial bore gauge and a ball mic, only way to get the correct measurements, your machine shop did this when they machined everything. You have the rear bearing in the front journal, hence the offset.

 

[Lee Thompson]

clearance

Let me get this straight
You want .002
You have .001--.0011 with .001 under
You are thinking .002 would help
I firmly believe that .002 would put you @ .000000
I would try Std. bearing if I wanted .002.
IMO I would try turning the crank with .001 clearance and if it turns free I would run it with .001---I am running .001--.0015 clearances right now on rods and mains. GREAT oil pressure.

 

[TurboDave]

You cannot measure bearing clearance even close to accurate with a snap gauge and a mic. You need a dial bore gauge and a ball mic, only way to get the correct measurements, your machine shop did this when they machined everything. You have the rear bearing in the front journal, hence the offset.

You can get pretty darn close.

But hey, at least he's not platigauging it!!!

 

[87we410877]

Let me get this straight
You want .002
You have .001--.0011 with .001 under
You are thinking .002 would help
I firmly believe that .002 would put you @ .000000
I would try Std. bearing if I wanted .002.
IMO I would try turning the crank with .001 clearance and if it turns free I would run it with .001---I am running .001--.0015 clearances right now on rods and mains. GREAT oil pressure.

I have .001 and need .002. Im going to try Juggling the bearings around and see what i get. Im picking up the std. bearings today and i'll try thoes. If that still doesnt workim going to get a different brand .001 unders. I'll be back.

 

[87we410877]

Let me get this straight
You want .002
You have .001--.0011 with .001 under
You are thinking .002 would help
I firmly believe that .002 would put you @ .000000
I would try Std. bearing if I wanted .002.
IMO I would try turning the crank with .001 clearance and if it turns free I would run it with .001---I am running .001--.0015 clearances right now on rods and mains. GREAT oil pressure.

I put it together and w/o even torquing the mains to full 95ft/lbs and the crank would not budge. Thats with the .001" under. I'll have to try a different make bearing or get the crank polished .001" Any suggestions/Bearing mfgs? Thanks .Tyler

 

[petesgn]

How about a set of STD bearings?

 

[87we410877]

How about a set of STD bearings?

I got em but that would tighten up the clearences even more no? I'll give it a try anyway.

 

[Lee Thompson]

no

.001 under bearing will be tighter than std.

 

[petesgn]

.001 bearings is .001 thicker that STD

 

[Live_to_die]

I got em but that would tighten up the clearences even more no? I'll give it a try anyway.

Hmmm....

 

[87we410877]

I made a mistake. Your all correct about the .001" being tighter. I dont know why i thought the opposite. brain fart!! I'll mic it up tomorrow and see what i get. Theoretically w/ the other numbers i got i should have .0020 and .0021 which is what im looking for. Thanks alot guys. This is why i made this thread.

 

[EightSecV6]

I made a mistake. Your all correct about the .001" being tighter. I dont know why i thought the opposite. brain fart!! I'll mic it up tomorrow and see what i get. Theoretically w/ the other numbers i got i should have .0020 and .0021 which is what im looking for. Thanks alot guys. This is why i made this thread.

you really need a ball mic and a dial bore gauge...

 

[87we410877]

you really need a ball mic and a dial bore gauge...

Yea i know. I will call around tomorrow and see if i can get them. I see where the error can come into play with the instruments i am currently using. Thanks Bill.

 

[87we410877]

I couldnt find either instruments so i did it with the snap guage and checked it with plastiguage. All of my clearences for the rods and mains were between .0013" and .0025". I am going to settle for this. Tomorrow i should get my rear main along with the rest of my gaskets. Does anyone have a type of sealant that has been working well between the gurdle and the pan rail? Also, what sealant for the rear main has everyone been having results with? And last but not least, Torque pattern for the mains with the gurdle. Thanks alot guys.