Oil clearances and a surprise

I would have run flat top type pistons flipped around but the pistons are special order dished pistons. Long story but my cylinder head choice changed and I didn't want to get higher than 10 to 1 compression with crappy ethanol California 91 octane gas so I ended up going with dished pistons.

I wasn't sure what bearing clearances I was looking for but I I was thinking it was going to be in the 2 and 1/2 to 3 thoundths range. The service manuals I have show minimum bearing clearance around 8 ten thousands and maximum 1.5 or 1.8 or something. I forget exactly. I definitely am not looking for that. At least for a higher horsepower motor that was going to get leaned on. I'm running full groove main bearings because the machinist insisted he buy them. I didn't know what he got until the other day. I've done a lot of searching on this forum and it seems that a lot of people are fine with full groove mains on Mopars.

Using the advice already given to me on this forum, I'm not going use my Chevy experience because this is a Mopar and I have a lot to learn.

Most machine shops around here that are left are race engine shops and they are backed up for months. And money talks and those are the guys that seem to get their stuff done first . The machine shop my engine was at managed to get my stuff done in about 6 months. Just not done right.

I appreciate your time you spend answering my questions and I have taken a lot of your advice. And it has worked.

As it stands now, I've got my pistons and rods at another shop and I'm hoping they'll expedite it. I might have them line bore the block to try to get the clearances in line. I did read the Hughes article and 1 take away I got was that 2.2 thousands is about minimum in their opinion. They also didn't like anything too wide.

Maybe the number 2 main at .002" or so is okay but it's also the second to last main bearing getting oil. I'm pretty sure the crank is straight. For some reason we forgot to do a run out check on the crank last night but the first 4 main bearing journals on it are so consistent we can't find a difference on them with the mic.

One of the marks of a knowledgeable engine builder on a budget build up, if there is such thing nowadays, is knowing what works and what won't, when things are not ideal. Hopefully I can get back to that stage now with Mopars.

If the block doesn't get line bored either because of budget or because the new machinist says not to, I'll probably buy another set of bearings and try to mix and match. If I can get it to 2.2 thousands I would be happy. In reading your replies I get the impression that a lot of you are okay with the 2 or 2.1 thousandths clearance. But not okay with the machine shop!