Endplay woes

Been assembling the engine and ran into one of those problems that make you want to sell the car. Got everything on the bottom end done, cleaned and in spec. Did the final torque of the main caps, and checked the final end play. Turns out I'm loose: .013" where .002-.006 is called for and .008 is max. Oddly, end play was just shy of .004 when I plastigauged the mains during my initial build.

Does anyone have advice? Get a new rear main? Find someone that can build up the one I have somehow? Shims? Leave it and deal with the oil leaks? I really do not want to have to get my crank machined for a lousy .008" but dunno what the best course of action is.

Strange you get 2 different reading on end play? Are you using the same (new) bearing? What can happen is that the main cap may not have "centered" on your initial try. When torquing down that rear main cap it's a good idea to "bump" it to and fro to optain the Maximum end play and that sounds like what you have. There's no way to shim for end play. A new bearing may be the only answer as metalizing and refinishing the bearing thrust surfaces may be difficult and expensive. Your crank may have been resurfaced which may explain the added clearance. The thrust surface(s) may have have needed some "polishing/grinding" at some point in history and this may be the cause and a new bearing may not get you back to specs. You might check with Earle Brown to see what's available but I don't think the thrust surfaces of new bearings vary from the original dimension spec.

I'll give him a call and see if he's got something I can use laying around. The only difference I made between the initial check and the final was that I pulled the main studs out, chased the threads and re-installed them all. But that shouldn't really change my front-back clearances.

Earle Brown is away until April 1 .

Thanks. Guess I'm just working on the body until then. And frame. And interior.

After checking the repair manual it seems that rear main bearings with wider flanges were available at the time. Hopefully Earle may be able to help.

That's what I was hoping. Will keep everyone updated once I find out a good solution.

Zazothex, Just got off the phone with Earle Brown vacationing in California concerning another matter. He said he has a large stock of various size bearings and has had luck supplying bearings with wider flanges. He'll be home on the 29th and will be happy to go thru his stock to help you out.

Wow. Thanks Dee. If you speak to him again, tell him to have a good vacation. I very much appreciate all the help guys (and gals).