My winter project is coming to a end. I got all the rotating parts installed and bolted down crank, cam, valves, pistons, trans. When I installed the crank bearing caps and connecting rods I noticed the cotter pin hole never lines up so I always turn the nut tighter to line it up. I still have the head and pan to install. I installed a temp 16" crank handle to the front of the crank now I noticed it takes a pretty good force to get everything rotating but after that I can spin it nicely. I oil everywhere with a oil can. Is this normal? Question #2. I'm using a 7 1/2 degree advance nylon gear. What's the torque on the gear nut and should I use thread locker?
Norman the caps on your rods and crank needs to have a gap not thightened all the way down.
Tim, I used plastigauge and had .0015" before the cotter pins. I think I torque it a little tighter lining up for the cotter pins.
Tim: explain your statement "rods and crank need to have a gap not tightened all the way down" to me that sounds like a loose bearing.
Norman states .0015. I sure would not want to loosen it. Once the engine is run a while those bearings may loosen up a bit. As long as he (Norman) can turn the engine over that should be o.K.
Norman make sure everything is well lubed before you put the pan on. The first start is important. A previous post made here is once the engine starts run it a short time and shut it off so the oil can drain down the internal oil tube. Let it cool for a short time and start it again and do a short run in time and see how well it starts after that.
My '19 engine sat in the frame for about 10 to 12 years before it was started the first time, and I had trouble but the coils were the culprit, and once I had them working it would start well.
Finish the job and go out and have a great drive.
bill d
MTFCA #14079
I used timesaver lapping compound to get a full fit and tested the shimming with a piece of paper from a newspaper in the cap - that should stop the crank from rotating if you have a proper fit. After taking the paper out I torqued the mains to 80 foot pounds and had good luck getting the cotter pins in. Ford never issued torque specifications, just that it should be tight, so a little bit tighter wouldn't worry me.
The rod bolts are often recommended to be tightened to 30-35 foot pounds. The popular chevy dippers are made of soft steel, the rod nuts tends to dig into them giving a less exact torque measure. The good point was the possibility to fold up an end of the sheet metal to stop the nuts from rotating. The crank turned nicely with the standard hand crank after all adjustments, but with new piston rings in new bored & honed cylinders there was quite a difference.. Now it's tight! Before trying to start it I'll have to pull the car around a few blocks with lots of oil in the engine, I guess, to free it up some..
Norm: Its normal. The oil film gets squeezed out when sitting on a new rebuild. Once you rotate it the oil film covers the surfaces, that's why it rotates freely.
Often, if possible, it is necessary to tow the car/chassis for a block or two to start it the first time. It sounds as if yours is about normal. If the bearings are too tight, it won't turn much better after breaking it loose with a 16 inch crank.
drive carefully, and enjoy, W2
You should be able to turn the engine over with an electric starter if the engine is so equipped. Setting bearings up tighter than 0.002 is a mistake in my view. In addition to setting the clearance the fit should be checked with Prussian blue and should show a 60% or better contact, maybe 75% on mains. Others have used timesaver, I have always scraped mine.
That's my two cents worth.
One more thing the caps should be seated against the mating surface and provide the required clearance when the bolts are torqued and pinned.
Now you have two and one half cents worth.
I had a motor that was rebuilt and sat for about 35 years it would not turn over. I could jump on crank and it would not move at all. Till I loosened the caps. That was why I said that. I would think if you had .0015 and pulled down to cotter pin hole you would have no clearance. I would back off to next hole. We are talking about a "T" motor not a Hi-Po motor. Just my 2 cents