Thread: How freely crank has to turn after assembly?

use assembly lube.

if you can not easily rotate the crank with your fingers and hands with no rods and pistons installed then something is wrong. I always use assembly lube on mine as it will stick longer than oil will for that first startup. Permaglide assembly lube works well and lucas makes a nice jelly type assembly lube that also works really really well. It should spin very very freely. From what you are saying, that is way too much effort to turn the crank and you should recheck things.

Yes, pull it apart and start over. Measuring is the key. Get some plastigauge, install the main caps with the specified torque sequence and measure the squashed plastiguage.

Assembly lube won't help the crank spin any easier. Infact, it would be harder to spin the crank since it's higher viscosity(thicker). The factories don't even use assembly lube when they build the engines. They just squirt some oil on the journals and bearings, that's about it. Assembly lube is good if you are going to let the assembled engine sit for awhile, helps with the dry start. Personally, I use both, but I don't go crazy with the assembly lube, just sparingly.

I used the Lucas assembly lube when i rebuilt my VE and everything spun like butter. I use it on camshaft installs too, really good stuff.

Re: plastiguage. This stuff doesn't measure accurately enough for our required tolerances. Unless they've invented a more precise formula of plastiguage in the last decade, it is useless on our motors. The tolerances you're trying to check are just outside the margin of error of plastiguage. Sorry.

Looks like problem is solved. It was axial bearings (aftermarket King bearings). We did put old OEM bearings back and it spins nicely.

But its weird as we put months ago Roller Rocker DE with same axial King bearings and it was ok.

Thanks for help everyone!

You mean the thrust bearings. You can mic the bearings and see if the OE, or the aftermarket are within spec. I cant speak for everyone here, but I usually dont replace them if they mic fine.

Yes, trust bearing. Both has same spec... weird, but good experience.

Good ol' tricky thrust bearing.

I always use acl race bearings. did not have any issue with the thrust bearings.