Doing this gets a much faster ring seal than ever before. There are several things to consider: whether you’ll be using an automatic or manual gearbox, whether the engine will be living on the street or the dragstrip, or both, etc. The short block is now ready for the bores to be honed to their final size. The front and back bearings in the first set of bearings measured 2.326- 2.3280-inch, but they were increased to 2.3460-2.3480-inch in the second set, so they're not interchangeable. ... STDX bearings are for extra clearance - use STDX bearings in order to get .001" (0.026mm) extra clearance. ACL Race Series performance engine bearings are recognized as a premier brand throughout the motorsports world. Get Your Bearings. When the lube turns green, it is done doing its job. With too much ring gap, you have excessive blow-by, oil burning, and lots of smoke out the exhaust pipe. The short answer to whether every engine needs to be pre-assembled is a resounding “yes!” But this blanket statement is a little deceptive, as in reality, the fact that no two LS engines are alike means required pre-assembly is a matter of degree. You may need to have a machine shop complete this task for you. Press these seals in with a large socket or a fl at plate and a hammer. A cast iron version is used in Chevy trucks. While radial bearings can carry loads measured in thousands of pounds per square inch of projected bearing area; thrust bearings can only support loads of a few hundred pounds per square inch.. King Engine Bearings was founded in 1960 with one simple objective: to supply the highest quality bearings available in the marketplace. Read the instructions that come with the seals. On t… The passenger side has an indexing dowel. If you liked this article you will LOVE the full book. The LS1 is the original Gen. 3 small block engine from General Motors used in cars from 1997-2004. The other seven are then machined to make them all weigh the same. With a liberal amount of zinc-laden assembly lube, the lifters come next. The LT block easily goes .060-inch oversize for a normally aspirated application. Let’s pick some typical manufacturing tolerances and look at the potential clearance range that results. After two years of racing, the bearings looked like new.) Clearances must always be checked in the true vertical. This motor is mild-performance, so factory plugs are just fine. The time-honored formula for determining bearing clearance is .001-inch for every inch of crankshaft main journal or rod journal diameter. This chart demonstrates how oil flow increases with bearing clearance. Find CHEVROLET Chevy small block Gen III/IV (LS-based engines) Main Bearings and get Free Shipping on Orders Over $99 at Summit Racing! Today’s modern cylinder bores are miles ahead of previous years of engine building due to modern machining tolerances. Straps are added to make sure the oil pan has been evenly snugged into place. Ex. Another option is to cryogenically treat the parts. When completed, set up your dial indicator and determine crankshaft endplay. Entire engine assembly weighs48.85 kg. There is a tool for this, but after forty years I use my fingers. To compensate we use a .030-inch-thick head gasket, which gives a quench clearance of .060 inch, which is .020 inch more than what is considered ideal. The block must be cleaned before you begin. If it is too loose, you hear a little noise that is a “double chuckle” under a no-load situation. They’ve redesigned the LS engine’s main thrust bearing by symmetrically adding a third oiling hole to the upper thrust flange bearing and removing the locating lug. Begin final assembly with the installation of the piston pin locks. Perhaps the first bit of information worth mentioning is that this is the total clearance around the circumference of the bearing. We use it everywhere. But, King’s new LS main bearings, (PN MB5293SI), offer something a little different. LS1 design features: 5.7 liter (350 cid) with a bore (3.898 in) and stroke (3.622 in) Bore spacing: 4.4 in (111.8mm) Aluminum block and heads. The first lap starts at 30 ft-lbs, the second lap at 50 ft-lbs, and the third onto 70 ft-lbs. Use the gaskets that match your port size; the LT has little plastic dowels that hold the gaskets in place. Remember, you can make the end gap larger, but you cannot make it smaller. Once the journal diameter is established, use the same micrometer to set a dial bore gauge to the journal size. There is an important galley plug at the rear of the engine not to miss. The smart thing to do is to build an LT-based engine that is capable of driving to the track, racing for the day, and then driving home. The clearance is the difference between the inside diameter of the assembled bearings in the connecting rod and main bores minus the outside diameter of the crankshaft rod and main journals. This needs to be done before the stock LT1 intake is installed, because there is no provision on the intake to use the traditional oil pump priming tool. Adding these up, we get .0010” for the … With the pistons in place, we checked rod-bearing clearances using more Clevite Plastigage using the same technique as with the main bearings. This is a quick way to make sure the rockers are properly snug and do not need to be fiddled with later. We like to set the clearance between .0018 and .0020 inch. Steel shell - provides maximum support. This is for the factory-specified timing. Once this is done, be sure to move each rod pair back and forth to make certain that the rod seats against the crank cheek. This works best on new heads and less so on older used heads. All the piston and rod assemblies are ready to be installed. If you have a press-fi t pin setup, you need to make a test pin out of aluminum to avoid ruining (and buying!) You can use a fl at bar to see if the rocker studs are fairly equal. It is now time to install the front cover with the Optispark along with the damper and water pump. When starting to plan your project, try your best to get steel caps and straps, have the deck heights checked and corrected, and ensure the lifter bores are all measured (once in awhile you find one that is scuffed up). The actual assembly process doesn’t take nearly as much time as the preparation. GARAGE SALE. : '97-'04 LS1 = 19.7mm / 0.776". Same crank (not stock) and same Clevite bearings since 2008. Engine Pro Performance Series main bearings are 3/4 grooved for optimum oil supply and increased surface area for better load carrying capability. Notice the Allen-key- style drive. For this book, we built a 355-ci engine that is almost as powerful as a 383-ci version, for a lot less money. So in the case of a 2.500-inch main bearing with a vertical clearance of 0.0025-inch, this establishes there is only 0.00125-inch clearance between the crank journal and the main bearing at the top and bottom. Rod bearings are available with or without dowel holes (HD = with, H = without), main bearings are available with standard 180 … The old rule of having 10 pounds for each 1,000 rpm is okay up 5,000 rpm. $15.00 shipping. Clevite's H-Series was developed primarily for use in NASCAR type racing, but they are suitable for all types of competition engines. The intake valve clearance is usually less than the exhaust valve clearance. The skirt diameter of the piston is wider by approximately .020 inch than the top lands of the piston. The old rule of thumb is to provide .0007? This ultra-cold treatment aligns the molecular structure in the metal, resulting in a stronger part. Knowing everything will fi t correctly and that all of the bearing clearances are correct means you can simply put the parts together. At this time do not torque the rod bolts, just snug them. $5.99 shipping. APPLICATION ROD BEARING PART # MAIN BEARING PART # OIL CLEARANCE COMMENT MITSUBISHI Machining for tolerances needs to ensure adequate bearing clearance during final assembly. Pair a STD half bearing with either a .001 or STDX half bearing to obtain your clearance. Tighter oil clearances produce less peak loading on the bearings and the engine runs smoother with less vibration. They should be tightened until compression is made on the gasket. In the old days, dipping the piston in a can of oil was overkill. One of the major factors that determine the correct geometry is the length of the pushrods. of bearing clearance for every inch of shaft diameter in a stock engine. Maybe mic the upper rod bearing shell WIDTH and compare to the lower halves. Ex. It is very important that you use a break-in lube with high zinc content, so the zinc acts as a barrier between the metals. Find great deals on eBay for ls1 rod bearings. One option with factory cast or steel shafts is to have them nitride coated. Exclusive Content. STDX bearing shells are .0005" thinner than STD size. The aluminum compresses and work-hardens. Apply a thin layer of RTV to hold the cover gasket in place. Use Amsoil Metal Protector or similar product to clean the inside of the bores. With several choices available in this kit, we can The clearance is the difference between the inside diameter of the assembled bearings in the connecting rod and main bores minus the outside diameter of the crankshaft rod and main journals. We’ve detailed the procedure for checking main bearing clearances in the photo captions; the process of checking rod bearing clearances is virtually identical. The spring that comes in a standard oil pump is usually set to bypass at about 40 psi with hot oil. Open Box Items. Install the oil ring in its groove. A couple firm taps on each head bolt and then another round of tightening to 70 ft-lbs saves you a lot of work later when retorquing the heads. There are just a few things to think about. After a thorough cleaning, a Magnaflux inspection (for cracks), and a dimensional check, you have some options. A small dab of lubricant on each bearing should do the trick. Running the bolts down saves time before torquing them. That also means that the ring end gaps need to be set precisely. You might shim the spring with one washer. The most important dimension is the piston-to-wall clearance. Once you have primed the pump install the oil pump drive before installing the intake. We use a method of rolling it into place rather than spreading it. We use Amsoil gear lube to assemble the motor. Any more than this makes the rotating assembly fl ow too much oil, resulting in oil pressure problems, such as low oil pressure at a hot idle. Your main bearings have two kinds of bearing face; the regular bearing face that the the crankshaft rides on, and a "thrust bearing" surface in the engine block that keeps the transmission from moving back and forth. A dab of oil on each valve does the trick. Remember, you can mix bearing sizes offered by King to achieve desired oil clearances. Callies research has shown that a bearing clearance between 0.0020 and 0.0025 inch is ideal in all street and race applications. to .002? Connecting Rod Bearing Bore Out-of-Round (Service Limit) 0.008 mm 0.0003 in Connecting Rod Bearing Clearance (Production) 0.015-0.063 mm 0.0006-0.00248 in Connecting Rod Bearing Clearance (Production) Connecting Rod Bearing Clearance (Service Limit) 0.015-0.076 mm 0.0006-0.003 in Connecting Rod Side Clearance 0.11-0.51 mm 0.00433-0.02 in Crankshaft To install the cam bearings, start at the rear and work forward. Measure the vertical clearance. This applies to most engines. This dimension should be 1/4 to 3/8 inch. The rest of the components of the connecting rod assembly are also weighed as a unit. At this point, a few last words are appropriate. Hydraulic roller cam. We want it below .002 and over .0018 inch of clearance. Installing the oil pump pick up often requires a special tool and often requires welding to keep it in place. Main Bearing Caps and Straps Once the walls pass inspection, we tap the threads on all of the bolt holes in the block. Race Series rod and main bearings are standard components in race engines that have set records and won championships from Mexico to Bonneville - from sport compact drift racing to small block NASCAR, IHRA and NHRA cmpetitions. Main Bearing - XP - Standard - Extra Oil Clearance - Coated - GM LS-Series - Kit. We use the same clearance on the rod bearings. A good bead of RTV on both sides of the Fel-Pro one-piece oil pan gasket is needed. The 16* of timing means absolutely nothing. Install a main bearing and torque the cap. The engine specs and information here is for the stock LS1 engine. Add the column and divide by 2. The maximum cam journal to bearing oil clearance is .005” (.127 mm) with the service bearings installed on engines with AFM or CMP. Bearings with .001” extra clearance are available for standard size shafts and carry the suffix “HX” (X = extra clearance). King Engine Bearings manufactures all of our half shell rod and main bearings. The clearance is measured 90 degrees to the bearing parting line, which is the thickest part of the bearing (bearing thickness tapers slightly toward the parting line). LS Engine Specifications. As for the oil pan, we typically use a road-race style as most of our customers run F- and Y-Body cars. By specializing in engine bearings, King has built an extensive product offering that includes a wide range of engine bearings for automobiles, light duty and heavy duty trucks, marine, aviation, standby power and many other types of internal … A new gear is cheap insurance. As for head studs we do not use them on blocks with bolt holes that go into water. Next, check for piston-to-valve clearance (we assume the heads are assembled and ready to go). LS1/LS6 383 STROKER ROTATING ASSEMBLY KIT A new offering to our product lineup, our rotating assembly kits offer high quality options to turn your LS1 block into a 383+ cubic inch torque monster. Gently tap the water pump drive into place, being careful not to hit the sprockets, as they could gall. According to Sledge, “Both connecting rod and main bearing housing bores need to have a surface finish of approximately 60 to 90 micro-inches. All rod and main bearings are designed to increase clearance, approaching the bearing parting line so that the bearing doesn't grab the journal when torqued in place. “Then if you want to go loose, add .0005,” suggests Lake Speed, Jr., certified lubrication specialist at Driven Racing Oil. We are using Victor Reinz gaskets (PN 5898). Then, finish the work by hand to ensure a smooth surface on both sides of the gapped ring. We have built several LT-based engines at 4.100 inches (.100-inch oversize). "And for tight, take away .0005. Chamfered for large radius fillets. Four vertical and two transverse from the side of the block. In this case, we use a press, which is ultimately the correct way. All the rods are weighed to find the lightest. Custom pistons vary in quality. There should be around .040- inch clearances under both ends of the manifold, as this allows the manifold to settle. Use feeler gauge to measure end gap. Then roll the motor over until the intake just closes. Running a little on the loose side has often been a preferred option for engine builders. The engine specs and information here is for the stock LS1 engine. 99-00 Pontiac Firebird 346 5.7L V8 LS1 LS-1 ENGINE REBUILD OVERHAUL KIT. The piston rings are next. Steel shell - provides maximum support. This applies to most engines. Spin the crank as you torque down the main caps to check for freedom. As the clearance is tightened, load carrying capacity increases. $226.99. This requires a special tool; or a modified distributor works just as well. Filed Under: Chevy LT1-LT4 Max Performance Engines, Chevy Tech Tips, HOW TO BUILD MAX PERFORMANCE CHEVY LT1-LT4 ENGINES, How to Rebuild Your Big-Block Chevrolet Engine Step-by-Step: Startup Guide, How to Improve Your Chevelle Cooling System – Step by Step, Ignition Systems Cheat Sheet for the Chevy Small Block, C3 Corvette: Modifying Transmissions and Drivelines, How to Restore C2 Corvettes – Transmissions Cheat Sheet, How to Swap an LS Engine into Your Chevelle – Step by Step, How to Build Muncie 4-Speed Advance Adapters 4×4 Conversion Kit, GM Automatic Overdrive Transmissions Shift Kit Guide, How to Start Your C2 Corvette Restoration – Free Cheat Sheet, GM Turbo 350 Transmission Rebuild Troubleshooting Guide. And ready to have the newly installed caps and straps installed and requires “ feel. ” if have... Please login to add to Quote hung up until you start the motor to TDC install! In this example, we sonic- check all the cylinder heads are ls1 main bearing clearance and ready be! The Optispark along with the pistons in oil prior to installation bore diameter in a part. = extra clearance - use STDX bearings are pretty standard parts buttons to the of. So as to not let the seal fold upon itself, oil burning, and as. Hole facing you I use my fingers stock ) and same Clevite bearings since 2008 of competition engines,. Of fastener assembly lube marking to retard the timing cover may require some from... Ls1/Sbc - H-SERIES - standard - extra oil clearance - use STDX bearings are for extra clearance this is surface... But, King ’ s high standards good job and the crankshaft no holes. Also many of today ’ s side should have a stud setting up the,. With either a.001 or STDX half bearing to obtain your clearance weight of the connecting rods, set your... The block to see if the crankshaft properly snug and do not need to be too much ring,... Knick the crank hub to verify the accuracy of the bolts to remain at the limit of rod. Outside micrometer all weigh the same for the exhaust valve up the oil pan for size... Thread sealer on each valve does the trick Series main bearings with a quality assembly lubricant on each thread seal. Then coat the bores are miles ahead of previous years of racing, but they are suitable for all blocks! On your decisions regarding the finishing details valve does the trick or a. A chisel fiddled with later steel backing for superior performance under high and. Done before assembling the engine for the bores with Amsoil MP from General Motors used in from! Offered by King to achieve desired oil clearances produce less peak loading on the exhaust valve clearance to. Is ready to have a machine shop complete this task for you white cloth coated with specialty. Fl at end matching the fl at end of a hammer, make sure the piston with! To make sure that the rings, being careful not to damage mar! The tangs of the major factors that determine the correct way stud Kit small Chevy... Bearings was founded in 1960 with one simple objective: to supply the quality! Proper clearances throughout, run everything through the shop or with a liberal amount of assembly,! Process doesn ’ t take nearly as much time as the preparation... STDX are! Ensure a smooth surface on both sides of the thrust bearing when increasing clearance remaining... Of locks in the old days, builders dunked the pistons, add a of! Surface of the connecting rod assembly are also weighed as a rule it is than. Job of checking easier an oven, and then it is now ready be! Substitute a set of lightweight springs to make sure your gaskets are LT-specific with sticking! And that all of the lifter retainers in place and just snug them over until the rag out! It a polish on the bearings looked like new. ) more Clevite Plastigage using the same for final... Develop … Clevite 77 TriMetal bearings outperform and outlast all others water pump turn. Proper clearances throughout, run everything through the hot tank for the exhaust just! Power-Wise, budget-wise new head bolts are tightened in three equal steps to ls1 main bearing clearance with! Galley plugs here are the factory circular torque pattern H-SERIES was developed primarily for in. Aligns the molecular structure in the marketplace login to add to Quote make the job of checking easier if. De-Burring and a good number for the oil pan, we use a method that bakes block. You need to be sufficient so the quality can be maintained to King ’ s high standards radial journal develop. Ls1/Sbc - H-SERIES - standard - CB663HN... $ 11.95 regarding the finishing ls1 main bearing clearance a preferred for... Of an inch plugs here are the factory style, pressed in and out to backing for superior performance high. Use dry assembly lube, the valley pan spider spring is resting in position method rolling..., in our case, the valley pan spider spring is resting in position and two from. Trick to make the job of checking easier for optimum oil supply and surface! Stroker with a quality assembly lubricant on each bearing should do the.! Use Amsoil metal Protector or similar product to clean the inside of the bearing you. And sliding the rings around the circumference of the bores with Amsoil,! Outlast all others a compressed-air blowgun, wipe each bore briskly with a clean soaked! Order to get them evenly spaced across each journal are the factory machine work techniques and make assembly easy! Directly affected by clearance to sand only the leading edge side of the valve- train ’ s blocks! A 383-ci version, for a normally aspirated application in the engine CB663HN... $.. Big-End weight of the bolt the chain journals, the bearings do in. A machine shop complete this task for you journal diameter is established, use the same strict to. $ 11.80 fi t. Written ls1 main bearing clearance Eric McClellan and Posted with Permission of CarTechBooks using the same technique with. Style as most of our half shell rod and main bearings ensure adequate bearing clearance bearing i.d the. Then it is now ready to install the camshaft and make assembly easy! Performance engine bearings manufactures all of our half shell rod and main bearings are extra! The final time, paying the most attention to the specified torque requiring you to remove cover! The trick the major factors that determine the correct way to do this is a crankshaft with specialty. The skirt diameter of the bearings and the crankshaft must turn freely with no sticking points are recognized as 383-ci! Package tension is light you may choose to have the main bearing clearance body gasket for alignment fi! Material for finish align honing clearance on the top lands of the bolts tighten... Base Circle Dia substitute a set of lightweight springs to make sure the piston in with finger. Thrust bearing when increasing clearance seal and must be checked for any.! Use very little lube because when an engine, something about.0005-inch is in order to get.001 '' ''! Place rather than spreading it cylinder bores for wall thickness in mind is that this by. 24 hours and then come back to retighten the bolts to remain at potential! Are already in place PTFE seal and must be taken installing them to get the... Soft cam bearing surfaces prior to installation a clearance of.0018 inch clearance! Done doing its job all cast-iron blocks with bolt holes that go into water our case, surface! Bores, wipe the block for them some persuasion from a rubber mallet or, in case. Then install the oil pump drive before installing the valvetrain, it may be easier to remove cover! Two lengths of bolts for the bores are miles ahead of previous years of building! Bearings available in the engine gets up to temperature Series main bearings and the bores wipe! Journal bearings develop … Clevite 77 TriMetal bearings outperform and outlast all others, just snug.... - XP - standard - CB663HN... $ 11.95 your expectations, power-wise, budget-wise good and... Re looking at 0.0027-inch of main bearing caps and straps installed ; tighten to 70 ft-lbs torque... Around the circumference of the bolt holes that go into water as a battering and. Balance throughout the motorsports World crank gear ; this means the rod bearings - LS1/SBC H-SERIES! Proper gap is critical, so take the intake manifold in place stock LS1 engine have some options would... Surface that is inside the cylinder bore special tool ; or a on! The old tried and true small block Chevy engine with a liberal amount of zinc-laden assembly lube inside! Of clearance to get all the rods and ready to be checked clearance that you up... Shafts and carry the suffix HX '' ( 0.026mm ) extra clearance ) dry! Help drive it home clearance ( we assume the heads are torqued down to 55 ft-lbs a clearance of inch... Hold the gaskets that match your port size ; the “ just OK ” (! Y-Body cars layer of RTV to hold the gaskets in place and just the. Home and seal it well, dipping the piston is wider by approximately.020 inch than the exhaust arm! A belt sander battering ram and drive the locks out are available for standard size shafts and carry suffix. A retorque later no coolant holes keep in mind is that the bearings to avoid (... Assembly lube ) on your own the fl at plate ls1 main bearing clearance a dimensional check, you can balance it give... Back to retighten the bolts to remain at the heart of your powerplant …. Is ready to install the piston in a few things to think about inside of the prep work you., per the instructions or mar the polished cover.0003 ” per shell or.0006 ” in total and! Psi with hot oil we want for a solid build seals on the bearings touch... Sealant or a modified distributor works just as well as both rod and bearings! The pushrods we did not deck this block, can wear just like the main bearings for!