Engine Running Clearances

Thanks Jim for the tips. I'm attempting to bring back to what my car looked like when it left the line. As for how close I get to that is only a time thing for now. I purchased the original paint color from Satn way back in 1975. Its of course laquer but is it the nitrocelous type I can't say. As for it being ok to use I'm told by many paint experts the laquer does not go bad like other paints. When I test it on some smaller areas I will then decide if its ok as I have been told. None of the 3 gallons have ever been opened either.

Gary,

The engine oil filter would be a deduction since the car didn't come that way. The deduction would only be for authenticity as long as it's done "in a workmanship like manor." The Safety items like seat belts and sealed beams are not a deduction but they are taking into consideration for best of Class and Best of Show judging.

For my two cents - my car will have a full flow oil filter on it since I plan on driving the daylights out of it.

Jim

Why not install some shims between the rods and caps before re babbiting them. Then you can just remove one or more shims if you need to take up the rods at a later date, much better than filing the caps.

Thanks Jim. I really didn't think taking 3 thousands off the cap was a good idea but asking is better than doing and making a mistake. My crank is standard on all the rods and mains so I'm thinking I will have new babbitts poured in them. Egge is only about 3 miles from my home and shop. May have them bore the engine to 10 ver because of the large cylinder to piston measurement. Sadly I have 8 new pistons in the engine now that are standard bore. They measure 3.499 to 3.500. May even be Egge pistons too. I realize the mains and I believe the rods will need to be bored to fit the bearing journels on the crank. My crank measures standard and it looks fine as if it was new. That surprises me too for the age. I probably will add the oil filter mod at that time too. If this car is ever judged wil the addition of an oil filter be a points reduction? I have read where any safety addition like sealed beams and seat belts are not a points deduction when judged but still wonder because it did not come off the line that way. Thanks again for your help.

Gary,

I wouldn't machine the end caps. .003" is a lot to take off and will result in the hole becoming egg shaped.

Jim

I just got some running clearances from Stan Gilliand. As for the rods what he sent me was this.
Rod journel ...........2.00 standard
Journel length .......2.125
Clearance .............0.001 to 0.0025 (0.001 best for us)
I sent you a pm offering all the other clearances.

I have just poured the babbit in my rods and plan to bore them soon. Would .0015-.002" clearance be fine for them also. Thank you, Tom

Thanks Jim and Mike. I used my micrometers on the crank main journels and I torqued down the main caps and used a snap gauge. then used a mic to determine the size of the bearings. Plastigauge may be what most use but I did mine this way. Is it correct to reduce the running clearance I machine off the caps? If so taking 0.003 off the caps seems like a lot of material.

How are you measuring the clearance? Jim is right .005 is toooo much!
Cordially Mike

Gary,

There isn't a shop manual for these engines. The clearances are what is standards for babbited bearings. .005 clearance is too much, if I remember right you should be down in .0015" to .002" range on the mains.

On the pins, if the bottom half can't move neither can the top. So you only really need to pin one side.

Jim

Where will I find the 812 Cord engine bearing running cleanances? If there is a shop book on this I sure would like to buy one. Also why are the top main bearing inserts not pinned to keep them in the webs like the bottom bearings are pinned to the caps? So far I have measured a 0.005 clearance on the main journels to the babbitts. Have no idea whats required.