i got a remanafactured crank from advance auto and it came with matched bearings. i put it in and it has tight spots in it i thought it should turn free. i think it is warped. it will turn free before i torque it down but after i torque it down you can't even budge it. i thought i may have over torqued it but i went down as low as 40 on torque and the haynes book said 70. im thinking i just got a bad crank. or mismatched bearings. anyone else have this problem with remanafactured cranks.

Is the block ok, does the main need to be aligned bored? A machine shop should be able to tell you what the culprit is.

Make sure the caps are in the right spot as they should be marked if not you may have to do some swithing.

how do you tell which main cap goes where. i thought all you had to do is make the arrows point forward. they all have casting numbers on them but i never could find out how to tell which one goes where. now that someone mentioned it i would say that misplaced main caps are my problem. if anyone could tell me how to determine where they go i would greatly appreciate it cause i have no clue.

If you are lucky you can hold them upside down next to the block and check for markings. A lot of the times the lines in the castings will transfer from the block to the caps. Normally you stamp them while disassembling. Jeff

Might be past time on this one, but I would put each one in place in one spot and carefully torque it down one AND then use my thumbnail to check how the block and cap flats fit at the parting lines!

Your thumbnail can feel something like .0002" so you will be able to tell real quick if the one you installed fits properly.

If it is off a schosh install another one AND keep doing the same thing with the ones that are left at that location and then the other locations until you have them all in their respective places!!

THEN mark them so you know where they belong AND in what direction!! (NOTE: the arrows!!)....

AND yes, I have done this!!!!!!

pdq67

PS., and I also have used a dull 3/4" cold chisel to gently pein the tops of the steps on each side of the block right where the caps seat to tighten them up width-wise a schosh too!!! But then recheck them....

[This message has been edited by pdq67 (edited June 15, 2005).]

i switched the first and second one and i think i fixed it. when you first go to it you have to break it loos with a bar, but after it's broke loose it spins free i think that is where the assembly grease i was using is so thick.

if you have to break it free at 1st then something aint right, and it's not the assembly lube.

Sounds like something is catching, or snaging at 1st.

A short block should turn over smooth and pretty easy. With the damper on front of crank you should be able to grab damper and turn engine by it.

What's your bearing clearances???? You did check them right?

If not get you some plastigauge and check

Your crank should spin with one finger by itself with some assembly lube.

ive not got the ballancer on. it's odd cause after you turn it a couple of times you could turn it by hand. but it's like you have to break it loose at first. i can loosed the very front cap and it spins free. is there any chance that the front cap has different torque specs than the rest. i checked the bearings they all match and say .020. ive not got the rods or pistons in yet if that would make a difference. i figgured the more i add the worse it will get.

Does the crank require chamfered bearings?? That might be your problem.

Look them over AND check if they are rubbing along their edges anywhere???

pdq67

thanks for all the help. i just switched them around till i had tried every cap in every spot and it spins with your hand, and that's even with the timing chain on.

The caps arent numbered?

Arrows pointing forward, then 1234 starting from the front....