Rod bearing replacement (Update 5)

[Ben Fenner]

I don't want to vent, so I won't.
I'd like to know where I stand though.
After replacing the bearings 4 times now, each time, something has gone
wrong.
First, I used the wrong gasket sealant resulting in the oil pick-up being
clogged, and all four bearings went, number three being the worst.
Second, after pollishing the third journal (it looked much worse than the
others) with 320 grit emery cloth, 400 grit sandpaper, and 600 grit
sandpaper. I installed all new bearings again. This time around I noticed
three of the rods would slide left to right a fraction of a millimeter. I
tried to move rod #3 and it wouldn't budge. I felt something was wrong, so I
really tried hard this time to see the numbers on the crank. What do you
know. It says 1-2-1-1. I remove the bearing, and wait for the correct sized
bearing to come. I install it, notice it still won't move left to right, but
hope for the best.

I was rod knocking my way down thr street for the third time when I turned
around and went home. This time I order three grade 2 bearings, and grab
some 220 grit sandpaper. I attacked the journal with the sandpaper, getting
it down to size where when I bolted the cap on with the bearing, it would
move side to side like the others. I put everything back together, realize I
forgot to torque the rod cap down, take everything apart again (ok so I'm
venting a little), put it back together again. And now it's still knocking.

Is a new Nissan crank $300?
How much for an aftermarket one?
Where would I get an aftermarket crank?
Am I screwed?
Should I just get a new engine, and shelf this one and prep it for the
boost?
What would you do in my situation? Because right now, I don't know why I'm
knocking. Maybe I haven't given the bearings time enough to bed? It's not as
loud as it was the first or second times when the bearings were really
toasted. And the third time this happend, it wasn't too loud either.
Maybe I need an undersized bearing. Do they make these?

Extremely frustrated,

-Ben
1994 Black SE-R