Taking Up Con-Rods

[RustyFords]

Please forgive the newbie question....

How do you know when to take up the slack in your connecting rod caps and remove a shim(s)? Is it a mileage thing? Do you wait to hear a knocking?

My engine was refreshed (not rebuilt) by Ross Lilleker last year and he's the one who assembled everything, so I'm pretty sure it doesn't need it. But I'd like to know just the same.

[Norman Kling]

I don't usually do anything unless I hear a knocking, however, if for some reason you have the inspection plate off, you can check them. It is very easy, You can get some plastiguage from an auto parts store and cut a strip and put it on the rod cap. Then tighten it up and then remove the cap. The plastiguage will spread out and the scale on the paper cover of the plastiguage can be used to see how much spread equals the clearance you want. If it doesn't spread enough pull one thickness of shim out. Try again. When you get the clearance right, put some prussian blue on the bearing and turn the crankshaft one turn and then remove the cap again. The blue should be spread evenly on the rod and cap. Be sure to check the rod itself, because it will get more wear than the cap. If there are places where the blue is wiped clean and others where it is untouched, you need to scrape just a little off the high places (Where it is rubbed off) and try again. One way to get it smooth if it is almost smooth is to put some time saver on it and turn it over a few times. Do this one rod at a time and when you get one correctly adjusted, loosen the nuts just a bit and fit another rod. Do this one rod at a time until you have all four adjusted. Then tighten all the caps and install the cotter pins. Be sure there is a little oil in each bearing when you do your final tightening. It might be a little hard to start the engine at first when all rods are tight. If so, pull the car for the first start. After it runs for a few minutes, it should start with the crank or the starter.
Norm

[RustyFords]

Thanks Norm. I do have some Timesaver so that'll come in handy when the time comes.

[Jerry VanOoteghem]

Thanks Norm. I do have some Timesaver so that'll come in handy when the time comes.

Ross has an excellent reputation for good work. If you keep the oil up and drive reasonably, it should be a long time before you'll need your Timesaver. Since it was rebuilt, (not by Ross), my '26 Fordor engine probably has 25K miles on it. No rod take-up needed yet...

[RustyFords]

Thanks Jerry. I baby this car (too much probably). Oil is checked every time I drive it and is changed regularly and I don’t over rev or over tax the engine. So I’m hoping I get some long life out of it.

[Adam]

Don’t do ANYTHING until you contact the person who rebuilt the engine and ask him the question.

My advice would be to leave it alone unless you have tens of thousands of miles on it AND you are noticing a noise.

[RustyFords]

That’s the plan.

At the rate I’m driving it, it’ll be quite a long time before that kind of mileage is on it.