Builds Work In Progress aka: Badass

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Okay dokey guys.... here’s a funny of me attempting to use my borrowed snap on torque wrench to tighten the #2 crank cap after adding plastigage.

 

[Infinity00]

Double the length of bar, and half the torque setting.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Plastigage findings dead on (although only torqued to ~90) .025.
Journals #2 and 4 both very shiny, smooth, no obvious marring or gouges. Both measure the exact same.
Lower bearing caps have some pock marking. Not the entire width. If I scraped w/ a old penny I know they’d both take up some copper.

 

[Infinity00]

If I remember my physics, and I’m too lazy to check the internet, torque = length * force. So if you double the length the torque will be double. Change your torque setting to 124/2 with double the lever arm

 

[Infinity00]

Plastigauge is neato

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

And then as I was reaching up to #4 and I touched a different cap and found it loose. Nuts tight. But ALL loose equally. WTH? I was told to ask @Cruiserdrew directly.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

If I remember my physics, and I’m too lazy to check the internet, torque = length * force. So if you double the length the torque will be double. Change your torque setting to 124/2 with double the lever arm

124/2?

 

[Infinity00]

I’m an idiot, the 124 should have been 90. I thought the 124 sounded off for torque of the bearing caps. Duh, that’s your weight!

90/2 but it sounds like you got it

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

I’m an idiot, the 124 should have been 90. I thought the 124 sounded off for torque of the bearing caps. Duh, that’s your weight!

90/2 but it sounds like you got it

Did I cause a moment of tunnel vision?

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Use your plastigauge on the rod bearings. There is a specification for that clearance. I think, it's likely OK. And some thrust clearance is normal. And the rod bearings can easily be replaced in situ. On my FJ40s original motor, it ran 10 years after I replaced the rod bearings in place! (But then it died in spectacular fashion far from civilization!)

But you don't mean the nuts are loose, right? If they are, I'd keep investigating. I think if you over-rev the engine, it can stretch the rod bolts.

Good luck. I hope it works out after all this work. I want to see your beast back on the road, not in pieces in the driveway.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Just the caps are loose, not the nuts.
Okay and forgive me but the bearings I checked are the crank main bearings I thought. Which or what are the rod bearings? Or are you swapping terms? Rod as in the connecting rods that the pistons attach to?

 

[Cruiserdrew]

The connecting rod bearings are the ones you are showing. Piston>Connecting rod>Bearing>Crankshaft. They have a normal oil clearance just like everything else in the rotating assembly. If you pull off the caps, and plastigauge, you'll know if they are in OK shape.

You are right on the edge of a rebuild here. Expensive, but not a bad thing. I'm a cheapskate and in this case, just got a running motor for $300 and it's been great ever since. I was willing to spend what it took, but a running 2F low mile fell in my lap and it's been great for years. I sent my 76 2F off to the recyclers. Later 2Fs like yours are worth rebuilding, if you have to. But I agree you should try and temporize up to a point.

And main bearings are the wide ones. There are only 4. Rod bearings are the narrow ones, and should all be the same.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Oh so the main bearings are the cam bearings? Laughing... I’m feeling fairly foolish here. If you hadn’t looked back, plastigage clearance was .025 both #2 and 4 rod bearings.
Bearings have slight pock marking to the inner curve. Journals look smooth and unmarred.

 

[cruisermatt]

That side-to-side play on the rods is normal. No worries.
How many miles on your engine? I might suggest pulling one rod bearing and seeing what it looks like, it should give you a pretty good indication of how the other five are doing.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Just the caps are loose, not the nuts.
Okay and forgive me but the bearings I checked are the crank main bearings I thought. Which or what are the rod bearings? Or are you swapping terms? Rod as in the connecting rods that the pistons attach to?

?Hmmm. The rod bearings are at the end of the connecting rods. The pistons are at the other end. The mains are wider and are concentric.

There are cam bearings (circular, 1 piece), Main bearings (2 piece, wide), rod bearings (end of the connecting rod, narrow, 2 piece), all super important.

I think you checked the mains (which is smart).

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

That side-to-side play on the rods is normal. No worries.
How many miles on your engine? I might suggest pulling one rod bearing and seeing what it looks like, it should give you a pretty good indication of how the other five are doing.

192k

 

[cruisermatt]

192k

Sorry, just re-read your previous post and saw you already removed rod bearings to plastiguage them. Post up a few good pictures of the crank journals and the rod bearings. At >200k assuming it had oil in it you shouldn't have bottom end issues on these motors. I'm shocked that the cam bearings went.

When @Cruiserdrew refered to main bearings he's talking about the four big ones that hold the crankshaft into the block.

You said 0.025" on the rod bearings? Are you sure that wasn't 0.0025"? You put the plastiguage between the bearing surface and journal right?

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

end of the connecting rod

This area?

 

[cruisermatt]

That's a main cap

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

four big ones that hold the crankshaft into the block.

Ah so here....