rod bearings and checking the journals

[David Pertuz]

Thanks, y'all. I'm gonna just take the pans off and order whatever is 
stamped on the crank (rods? what's this about bearing grades stamped on rod 
caps? On my other engine they're stamped on the end of the crank) I don't 
remember whether I used assembly lube on the Soko engine, but I'll use some 
this time.

>The steps between bearing grades are like 4-ten-thousandths IIRC -- 
>0.0004", like 1/4 of a sheet of paper  -- and the overall crank to bearing 
>clearance is very tight in a new engine.  I don't think plastigauge works 
>down to that clearance, or that it would be accurate to more than a thou' 
>or so.
>
>When I did one, I just cleaned it up with some < 1000 grit paper (it had 
>smeared a bearing) and put in the same grades.  That should have opened up 
>the clearances, but that's usually considered a good thing on an endurance 
>racing engine.
>
>>Also, are any of the old-timey folk here going to the convention this year?
>
>Where's that?

It's in Chicago this year. I don't know any of the details (I haven't 
looked). I wonder where the track event will be. I may go just because it's 
so close and I make lots of trips to Chicago anyway to visit my GF. Almost 
all of the people I know are here, not on the forum.

David