anyone ever mixed up rod caps??

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dodgefreak8

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so I finally pulled my '86 318 this weekend and I had a couple of over eager helpers that started pulling stuff before I could stop them!!

Well needless to say pistons were coming out and caps were getting set aside:violent1:.

so tonight I was trying to line up caps by the scuff marks on the bearings when I discovered a miracle! The factory made a small mark on the side of the rod and the matching cap. There was stars, diamonds, shield like symbols, and some others. needless to say I had 7 out of 8 correct anyway but this really put my mind at ease. I just thought this might help some others out there that shared my mis-fortune.
 
I here ya dodgefreak8!!:thumbrig: Some times, less is more!! when it comes to an engine build, or anything that need one persons consentration.:read2:
I was doing a simple intake install on a 318:rock: and hade to many people show, So I set the intake on and the realized I left my rage I laid flat in the valve train area:drinkers: I had the corners siliconed and ready, and sat the intake on and started 4 to five bolts in by hand, Than I took a:drinkers: brake with company,
When I walked back to the car I did not see the rag!! :?::sign3:

My younger brother looking over my shouled and helped me lift it off,
There it was!! one white bar towel.

Shtuf happens:salut:
 
hear hear!!! whenever i have put an engine together i have had to clear people out of the room so i could concentrate. nothing ruins a motor build worse than having an audience (especially an audience that keeps shoving beers into your hand hahaha)!
-tim
 
hear hear!!! whenever i have put an engine together i have had to clear people out of the room so i could concentrate. nothing ruins a motor build worse than having an audience (especially an audience that keeps shoving beers into your hand hahaha)!
-tim

You are exactly right,:thumbrig:



I can get my own beer:rock:
 
hear hear!!! whenever i have put an engine together i have had to clear people out of the room so i could concentrate. nothing ruins a motor build worse than having an audience (especially an audience that keeps shoving beers into your hand hahaha)!
-tim
I guess I'll never have that problem, I don't have friends!
 
I guess I'll never have that problem, I don't have friends!


LOL!!!!!!! That's why I tell my buddies I'm going out with the Wife on days I have to do critical assemebly, or dis-assemble, on my stuff. There's certain guys that when they show up I act as if I was just starting to pack up for the day. I have one friend that can break a crow bar in a sandbox.... Don't ever want him NEAR my car!

As for your dilema, sounds like it's time for a line bore of the mains to make it all work. Mix up those caps and you *MIGHT* have alignment issues, which means damage to the bearings, possibly the crank bearing surface too. Don't gamble.... do it right. If you can't afford to do it right, wait until you can. That's part of the engine building experience, and with it comes EXPERIENCE. Go buy a cheap set of number punches from Sears or Harbor Frieght. Mark EVERYTHING, mains & rod caps, before anyone picks up a wrench or socket. And chase the "helpers" out of the garage when your working on critical procedures.... 8)
 
BTW: When ever I'm in the garage working on my cars, all alcohol (and "other" recreational substances...) are strictly forbidden. There's a time & a place for kicking back. Not in my garage.

Once the tools are put away and we're back in the house or working the BBQ grill, all bets are off. :drunken:
 
I guess I'll never have that problem, I don't have friends!

Don't feel bad..... I have no friends either. I've got one friend that lives about 30 miles from me and we deer hunt together but that's about it. He lets me borrow stuff and he borrows stuff from me. He welded up my axle perches not to long ago and I need him to weld the holes in my engine bay that I'm not going to use. I was on the phone with him talking about it on a Saturday morning and his wife got mad because she thought he was coming up to weld up the holes instead doing what she wanted. We was just talking about it that's all. I quit drinking about 7 yrs ago and I don't see any of my buds that drank with me anymore. I guess I need to take up bowling or something and get out more. Working on the car is my hobby but it keeps me at house.

I think you will be alright since you found a method of putting the rod caps with the proper rod. If you have matched 7 of them then the last one left will have to go with the last rod wouldn't it?
 
Hey memike! My cousin left a rag under his intake manifold too, except his was on a Wissota B-Modified race car. He didn't know it intill he won the feature race and somebody challenged his motor and had it inspected and tore apart after the race. They pulled the intake, there was a shop rag, neatly laying in the valley area! They almost disquallified him for it!! He ended up with the win and we all had a good laugh! Keith. 8)
 
Rod caps,..NEVER have anyone around when torquing down the rod caps. VERY easy to miss one when one of your buds is beating your ears. I always run them three times after I get to the max torque value. This goes for the mains too.
Terry
 
Good advice Terry. I triple-checked ALL the torque values on my engine on assembly. I still lay awake at night hoping everything is OK.
 
I have one friend that can break a crow bar in a sandbox.... Don't ever want him NEAR my car!

Lima-Oscar-Lima! I very nearly coughed-up my left lung upon reading that. =D>

One of my gearhead friends in high school had an interesting methodology when it came to engine work. On tear-down, he tossed *all* of the fasteners into a large coffee can (which was empty at the start of the "procedure"). Another can received the main and rod caps (without making any marks). Reassembly was a matter of grabbing stuff from the cans and jamming it wherever it would fit, and there were *always* fasteners left in the can when it was "done". Much to the astonishment of the rest of our evil crew, his engines actually ran fairly well. The oil bath/paper element air filters needed to be shaken out periodically, but the car would shove you into the seat a fair bit.

That was the friend to keep away when it was time to spin wrenches on anything we cared about.
 
ALL complicated assemblys should be handled like surgeory, from engines to instrument panels.
Agreed too many cooks can spoil the stew but I have gotten helpful input from the observationpeanut gallery once or twice.
 
haha this has been a great eye opener!! I thought I was the only one that was VERY picky when tearing an engine down! Nice to know I'm not the only control freak here! Also nice to know I'm not the only one that screws up! thanks for the laughs guys
 
I think I can top all dat. In my Ford days I just installed a 351 Cleveland in my 72 Ranchero, was about to crank it up when my spagetti eating fat Italian brother in law pointed at the torque convertor, (on the shop floor) And said "donna ya haf to putta dat in da car first?" God rest his soul, I miss that fat^%$&*@.
 
I remember a buddy bolting on a set of Cadillac heads while B.S.'ing with friends only to realize they were on BACKWARDS. Seems the old Caddy's had water outlets on the front of the heads, which were now facing the firewall....
 
I chase everybody off but one trusted pard.
I was filefitting rings for KB pistons, I was measuring and filing
and another guy was handing me rings from the packages.
I suddenly had 2 second rings fitted for the first hole.
 
LOL!!!!!!! That's why I tell my buddies I'm going out with the Wife on days I have to do critical assemebly, or dis-assemble, on my stuff.

That's great, lol! I just tell my neighbor "I'm busy, GTFO!". He understands and tells me the same if his girlfriend is about to drop by. Works out well.

BTW, I have laid awake at night wondering wether I tightend that last bolt/nut, installed that dowel pin, pinched an oil ring or installed a seal too.
 
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