INSTALLATION TOOL TOOL When installing a reluctor wheel on an LS crankshaft, using the brand name alignment tool, use a piece of 4.5" pipe, notched and with a bar welded on the back to take the hammer blows. I can avoid banging on the tool and this provides a better...

HOW FITTING On some crankshafts, the pilot bushing bore is undersize or irregular. Driving in a bushing with too much interference would lead to the I.D. of the pilot bushing being too small for the transmission input shaft. Simply mic the bore and adjust the bearing...

PRIMING PUMP You can make a GM-LS engine priming tool using just about any oil pump. I used a new big block Chevy M77 pump that I already had. I tapped the inlet and outlet to NPT threads and installed fittings to adapt to rubber hoses. The pressure side needs to...

REFILLS When balancing a crankshaft for heavier parts, often you must add metal in an existing hole. If the hole was drilled with a regular drill bit, versus a spade drill, the hole can be irregular and oversized. It can be time consuming to try to make a slug that...

MOVE YOUR SPOT Sometimes when I first spin up a crank, the correction area is off the counterweight. Instead of grinding up by the rod throw, try adding weight to the opposite end if there are balance holes already. I taped in some flat disc plugs until the “spot”...

POLISHING THE BIG END Starting to see more and more cracked (powdered metal) connecting rods these days. After checking to make sure the size is correct, I use a plateau brush with a few drops of oil to clean up any rust or dirt. If you have a finished set of rods...