Can't hand crank on stand

[Wardie]

Hey more issues...

So! I have the engine on the stand and my engine builder said the head was tdc 0 degrees. He was even standing there when we put it on. Piston one was ready to fire. So I take the engine home and put on the timing belt. Everything was TDC and didnt move. I went to go hand crank it and nothing.
I could nudge the head sprocket around but nothing out of the crank. Maybe Im doing something wrong? No spark plugs no nothing in it should be a breeze to turn over. Any words of wisdom or ways I can double check if the head is TDC and not 180 degrees off?

[TobyB]

Stop! Don't turn the cam without the belt on! It's stupid easy to bend a valve a little bit...

So #1 piston was at TDC? Time to confirm the cam's at TDC, and install the belt.

THEN try turning the crank. It should take 'reasonable' pressure- maybe 20 ft/lbs
or less. Usually you need a 1/2 drive ratchet on the nose, and it's not particularly hard
to turn. There should be significant friction from the rings, but it should feel smooth
and 'sandpapery' as you slide the rings in the bores.

If it doesn't turn, take it back. It should. When you're assembling a motor,
you check it at each stage, since it's easy to figure out where things go wrong as
you're adding bearing caps, pistons, etc, and you can easily catch a tight bearing
or piston. Once it's all together, it gets harder to diagnose...

t

[Wardie]

Thanks, yeah I never turned the head, just moved a smidge. So when we were building the engine before we put the head on, the crank would turn no problem.

Now the head is on and at my house the whole unit doesnt turn.
So now I think I am going to pull the head and try to turn the crank to eliminate that.

I see youre in seattle. ;)

[Madhatter]

It's only really when you fit the belt that the cam turns at half the speed of the crank, so you can end up 180 degrees out in relation to the crank, otherwise it's more or less impossible to position the cam 180 degrees out when fitting the belt if your marks are lined up. You aren't going to be anywhere near the notch and your valves are going to be open, so you should notice the difference.

Did you actually look at the head and cam gear to make sure the notch was lined up before you fitted the belt, along with the same for the bottom sprocket or did you just trust the builder?

If you have the bottom sprocket lined up with the mark on the front timing cover and the cam sprocket lined up with the mark on the head, you are dead on and it's really impossible for either to be 180 degrees out.

[Wardie]

So I had some car guys come over, and turns out the cam main bolts were used from my engine builder and had invalid torque on them.

Untorqued everything and retorqued it and seems to be working alright now.

[Madhatter]

There are no cam bolts. It runs in bearings cast into the head.

[Wardie]

Im sorry, I ment the crank main bolts.

[Dirty325ix]

Not exactly settling knowing that your mechanic didn't get those torqued right what about the rest of the engine.... doesn't really build confidence in hin

[Wardie]

He had me torque them down and I followed his instructions. So either he told me the wrong number or his torque wrench is fucked. Either way I got arp studs coming which should eliminate any issues. I hope...

[Madhatter]

yeah, the point was though, if this is fucked, then what else is the same in the motor? especially things like rod bolts which are torque to yield.

[Kevinl]

Don't you have to do a line hone with arp studs I'm assuming our talking about main studs and not head studs

[Madhatter]

usually, yes, because the clamping force is higher with the higher torque specifications.

[Wardie]

Can't hand crank on stand

Rod bolts are brand new. Hopefully no problem there. Mm well the blocks freshly honed. I hope I don't have to take it apart again and line hone...

[Wardie]

Still having issues.

When hand turning the crank, it hits a spot right before TDC. Feels like somethings fouling or who knows. Maybe my MLS..? Its a 2.5i head on a 2.7e block... not sure if that has much to do with it.

[Wardie]

And this kids is why you should always check what was shipped to you.

MLS Headgasket was for a 81mm bore. Even though it was for a M20.

Stock bore is 84mm. Live and learn.