BT7 tri-carb installing my crank

[Deleted member 21878]

going out today to finish installing my crank. i have been putting this off because it was so cold. i wanted to wait until i could get the block, crank and garage all to the same temp.

yesterday i cleaned out the crank ports, install the top half of the bearings and set the crank in. also installed the top half of the thrust bearings. then i realized i did not have thin enough feeler gauges to check the end play. so i need to get a set today. also popped out the old pilot bearing and installed a new one.

then i came in and made a checklist/procedure to install the bearing caps. i figure i will break down this build in to small jobs and do a procedure for each one just before i go out to do that part. a good way to review. when you don't do builds on a regular basis it is easy to get excited or just plan miss something.

my main concern for today is the 1st and 4th bearing and sliding them down in to place. don't want to scratch or nick anything in the process. they were very tight coming out. so not just sure how i will get them in at this point. other than that i feel i am ready to go, once i get some feeler gauges.

since this is my first Healey engine please chime in with any suggestions you may have on this step or anything i will have coming up. next i plan to install the rear plate so i can get the block back on the engine stand. then the front plate and on to the pistons. my main and rod bearings are .010 over.

 

[Randy Forbes]

I don't think you'll get satisfactory results__if any at all__trying to measure endfloat with feller gauges. That operation is typically done with a dial indicator (even if you used a cheap one...).

 

[Randy Forbes]

Visuals:

 

[Randy Forbes]

Ahh, here's the Healey!

 

[Deleted member 21878]

crank is in and rear plate is on. also got the engine on the engine stand. things went well. i thought it would take a lot longer than it did when i started. the extra time to plastigauge the main bearings was not so bad.

i will check the run out again tomorrow with my dial gauge. i was going by how i have seen it done and always done myself.

i have found it is handy to keep some lacquer thinner around. good for cleaning up surfaces for sealant as well as the wax left from the plastigauge....

tomorrow, after checking runout again, i hope to put on the front plate and gap the piston rings. if all goes well i hope to have the pistons in the cylinders by the end of the day. if not i got the next day... great thing about being retired.