Rod bearing caps

[isaiddurazoo]

Hey guys I lost the order of my rod caps and if it comes down to it I will have the engine professionally built but I'm 19 and just got into cars 6 months ago so I would feel far more accomplished if I did it myself. I have my rod caps off and I lost the order. I know I know I am an idiot.

By any chance are they marked from the factory? I found these little marks on the side and thought maybe, just maybe I'm gonna get a break today.

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Do those dots on the side of the "J" mean anything significant or are they just there because they look cool?

 

[xander061]

Some are marked on the side with part of the number on the rod and part on the cap. I just had to replace the rod, main and thrust bearing, i think i mixed 2 and i didnt notice a difference i compared each one side to side. Only a few had marks so a more experience member may prove me wrong but dont think it matters

 

[isaiddurazoo]

Some are marked on the side with part of the number on the rod and part on the cap

That sounds like really good news. Does anyone perhaps know this order?

This is what I have.

1dot
2dot
1dot+1integrated dot
3dot.

bump...

 

[BogusSVO]

No those are casting marks form when the rods are made.

They do not help match up what cap goes on what rod.

 

[bryanwheat]

If you have a good bore gauge than you can find out which cap goes to each rod, but it will cost you way less to take them to a machine shop and just have then resized.

You also are asking for that car to fall on you with those blocks sitting under there the way there they are. they are sitting on their side which doesn't have much strength compared to sitting them with the holes vertical.

 

[fonzi90Tsi]

Yeah each was machined to a specific rod from the factory so it does matter! But there is no real way of telling that I can think of.

Best bet getting new bearings and having the caps remachined.

 

[isaiddurazoo]

No those are casting marks form when the rods are made.

They do not help match up what cap goes on what rod.

Well see the reason I didn't care for the order is because I read a book before taking upon this task. And it showed me this.

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P.S. the car is on jackstands. I put the bricks there just in case the jackstands were to fail.

And you would think they would have identification marks. That's just poor engineering if they don't.

 

[BogusSVO]

Most engines do not com with the rods and caps marked.

Ford is about the only one that I can think of the does mark them from the factory

I center punch or number/letter stamp set should be in EVERYONE"S tool kit ( I have 4 sets )

 

[isaiddurazoo]

Most engines do not com with the rods and caps marked.

Ford is about the only one that I can think of the does mark them from the factory

I center punch or number/letter stamp set should be in EVERYONE"S tool kit ( I have 4 sets )

*sigh. Well thanks for the help brotha, I got a handful to solve now.

 

[BogusSVO]

Your best bet will be to pull the head off and pop the pistons out.

This way you will be able to see the bevels on the side, and any wear marks on the side and match the caps up.

Once that is done, take all 4 to a machine shop and have them check the big end of the rods.

A set of rings and a composite HG and that should be all the extra parts you need.
If a 7 bolt add a set of ARP head studs if you do not have them yet.

 

[Tyeler18]

Resizing them should only run you ~$40, small price to pay for security.

 

[92 GSR-4]

If you find a decent machine shop they should be able to measure and inspect each rod for you and determine where the caps go without even charging you.

My machine shop will use a bore gage on spare blocks I bring them and tell me if they are within spec and such. They don't charge me a penny for this service. So I don't think you need to have the caps resized at this point.

They can measure a rod with a cap torqued to it with a guage and be able to tell you which caps go where. The reason is because their measurements will not be consistent when they take measurements 90* away from each other if the wrong rod cap is on. Once the right cap is on, they should be consistent.

Even if they charge you for this service I can't see it costing too much.

 

[buckley]

When a mistake is made, I like to make up for the mistake by upgrading

 

[RamenPride]

7-bolt rod? Is so, the rod bolts are torque to yield and should not be re-used anyway. Get some ARP's, have a machine shop install them which will require re-sizing anyway.

 

[bryanwheat]

7-bolt rod? Is so, the rod bolts are torque to yield and should not be re-used anyway. Get some ARP's, have a machine shop install them which will require re-sizing anyway.

I've been re-using them for years with no problem.