engine question
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 300
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From: Joplin Missouri
engine question
I finished installin the piston/rods to my crank and bolted on the pan lst night. I tried to urn the crank to check for clearances and the corner of the rod hits the pan. I s it ok to file the corner of the rod assymbly off or is there another option. All I need to file off is less is just a hair. Any suggestions would be helpfull, Thanks
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
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From: Forked River NJ
No. It will throw off the balance. You want a minimum of .050 clearance on everything rotating inside. Is this a stroker motor or just a standard crank. It it is a standard crank why is it hitting? Find out what the problem is before moving on.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
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From: Columbia Missouri
Also, some oil pump drive shafts can only be installed from the bottom, before the pump is bolted down. Make sure you don't forget this step, and start the motor up. It'll run without it, timing wise, but it will quickly lock up and all the work will have been for nothing. I have never done this but I helped time a motor a friend built and he forgot that pump drive shaft. Not cool seeing it die like that right in front of us.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 300
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From: Joplin Missouri
its a 4.25 crank. I didnt think that filing it off a tad would be good, but I thought it was worth a try. So I guess my other option is to bang on the pan to get the clearence I need. Because it is not hitting by much.
thanks
thanks
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
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From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by gmg1977
its a 4.25 crank. I didnt think that filing it off a tad would be good, but I thought it was worth a try. So I guess my other option is to bang on the pan to get the clearence I need. Because it is not hitting by much.
thanks
thanks
There must be an underlying issue to cause this clearance problem. Did you do this build by yourself? Did the crank require special bearings, matched to the grind?
Race Director
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From: Corsicana, Tx
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Strokers often require a pan with more clearance. Moroso and Milodon make them as well as others.
If it's just a little spot. a good ball peen will handle it.
But be aware that stroker put everything that much closer to pan and a stock one can have windage issues....even some aftermarket ones can as RPM climbs. Ask me how I know.......
JIM
If it's just a little spot. a good ball peen will handle it.
But be aware that stroker put everything that much closer to pan and a stock one can have windage issues....even some aftermarket ones can as RPM climbs. Ask me how I know.......
JIM
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 300
Likes: 0
From: Joplin Missouri
Originally Posted by 427Hotrod
Strokers often require a pan with more clearance. Moroso and Milodon make them as well as others.
If it's just a little spot. a good ball peen will handle it.
But be aware that stroker put everything that much closer to pan and a stock one can have windage issues....even some aftermarket ones can as RPM climbs. Ask me how I know.......
JIM
If it's just a little spot. a good ball peen will handle it.
But be aware that stroker put everything that much closer to pan and a stock one can have windage issues....even some aftermarket ones can as RPM climbs. Ask me how I know.......
JIM
um, Im afraid to ask but I gots ta know.
The crank manufacture said to use standard bearings. I got so mad last night I didnt want to mess with it. I will measure tonight to see how far Im off and if I need to replace the pan or not, thanks
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
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From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by gmg1977
um, Im afraid to ask but I gots ta know.
The crank manufacture said to use standard bearings. I got so mad last night I didnt want to mess with it. I will measure tonight to see how far Im off and if I need to replace the pan or not, thanks
The crank manufacture said to use standard bearings. I got so mad last night I didnt want to mess with it. I will measure tonight to see how far Im off and if I need to replace the pan or not, thanks
Sometimes it's a good thing when you encounter clearance problems, so you can get a higher volume wide pan for better oil cooling properties.
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Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by gmg1977
yea that probably what I am going to end up doing. I just liked the chrome one I got. But enless Im going to be running over some squirles or something who will notice.
Check Ebay...lots of guys are selling larger pans, as they hold their value. They build a new engine or thwe project car has problems. Check once or so every week and you'll find a good deal.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 300
Likes: 0
From: Joplin Missouri
Just as an update.I tried to get a factory big block vette 7 quart pan, but unfortunantly for me I lost. So I created the clearence with with a ball peen and so war it works great. Thanks
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by gmg1977
Just as an update.I tried to get a factory big block vette 7 quart pan, but unfortunantly for me I lost. So I created the clearence with with a ball peen and so war it works great. Thanks
After doing that did you check the gasket surface with a square to make sure everything is still true?
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by 75 Red Vert
Been there and done that. 
Heh, did you notice before you started the engine? That's the trick. Catching the mistake before the engine goes from Vroom to BOOM.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,438
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From: Florissant MO
Ever look around the workbench and see an extra part laying around that really should be somewhere?
Really, I had everything together and thought that I could just run the pump rod through the distributor hole on the 327 that I was building. It was a one piece oil pump shaft. It wouldn't go through from the top. Had to take the oil pan off, oil pump off, slide on the pump and pump shaft and put the oil pan back on with a new gasket. All this scooting along on my back under a 67 Camaro. This after I already had the engine and transmission installed in the car. Learned a valuable lesson.
Really, I had everything together and thought that I could just run the pump rod through the distributor hole on the 327 that I was building. It was a one piece oil pump shaft. It wouldn't go through from the top. Had to take the oil pan off, oil pump off, slide on the pump and pump shaft and put the oil pan back on with a new gasket. All this scooting along on my back under a 67 Camaro. This after I already had the engine and transmission installed in the car. Learned a valuable lesson.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by 75 Red Vert
Ever look around the workbench and see an extra part laying around that really should be somewhere?
Really, I had everything together and thought that I could just run the pump rod through the distributor hole on the 327 that I was building. It was a one piece oil pump shaft. It wouldn't go through from the top. Had to take the oil pan off, oil pump off, slide on the pump and pump shaft and put the oil pan back on with a new gasket. All this scooting along on my back under a 67 Camaro. This after I already had the engine and transmission installed in the car. Learned a valuable lesson.
Really, I had everything together and thought that I could just run the pump rod through the distributor hole on the 327 that I was building. It was a one piece oil pump shaft. It wouldn't go through from the top. Had to take the oil pan off, oil pump off, slide on the pump and pump shaft and put the oil pan back on with a new gasket. All this scooting along on my back under a 67 Camaro. This after I already had the engine and transmission installed in the car. Learned a valuable lesson.
Yeah, I ALMOST forgot mine when I was putting it all together. I saw it as I was laying the pan gasket down. I did have to pull the pump back off and slide it in...but it's a step that needed to be done.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 300
Likes: 0
From: Joplin Missouri
Yea the gasket still fits square. It just needed a little tap. The oil pump shaft I have is the kind with the metal sleeve not the plastic. It fit perfectly in aslong as I dont flip the engine over without the dist.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by gmg1977
Yea the gasket still fits square. It just needed a little tap. The oil pump shaft I have is the kind with the metal sleeve not the plastic. It fit perfectly in aslong as I dont flip the engine over without the dist.
Do you have the engine primer tool used to prep everything for startup? Even for an engine that has been run, it's a good idea to prime it if it's sat for a while or had parts replaced.