ROD ALIGNMENT PINS I like to check rod alignment before I install the pistons. I had SB and BB Chev piston pins centerless ground .0025” under some years ago. Since then I have chucked other sizes short and ground them in the crank grinder slightly under size. I...
CRANK STROKE CHECK I have a quick and easy way to check or measure the stroke of a crankshaft. I put the crank on some V-blocks on the vertical mill table. I chuck up a BB Chev fuel pump pushrod or any similar round stock in a drill chuck. Position the rod throw...
ROD AND CAP CUTTING DONE RIGHT When cutting the parting faces on rods and caps for resizing, make sure the bearing locating tang is facing the same way for both on the cap grinder. This way, if the parting surface is not perfectly 90° from the side, cutting the cap...
Crankshaft end play is important to check in all engine builds. You want to make sure there is no pressure or binding at the flange of the thrust bearing. On these John Deere applications the end play needs to be checked once the engine is installed, as well as during...
MORE BALANCING TRICKS A quick way to center up crankshaft bobweights is to use a piece of round aluminum rod, machined to 1/2 the difference of the widths of the weight and the journal. Use it to space one side up and snug the bobweight. That centers it right up on...
ROD FIXTURE When I mount pistons onto press fit rods I set my mounting fixture so I get them perfectly centered. But setting the mounting fixture on tapered pin boss pistons is harder to get right. I took an old rod and honed the small end until the press pin slips...