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Connecting rod placement


Jim Yergin

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I am in the process of tearing down the engine out of my 1956 Ford Thunderbird. It is a 312. The connecting rods are stamped with numbers 1 through 8 however several of them don't match the number of the cylinder it came out of. For example the rod marked number 3 came out of cylinder number 2. On reassembly should they go back in the cylinders they came out of or in the cylinder with the corresponding cylinder number? It appears someone has been in the engine before.

Jim Yergin

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They should have #s stamped on the rod and cap. They should match and be next to each other.

They should be assembled with odd numbers on one side and even numbers on the other side. Usually so that they can be seen when the engine is upside down and you are looking down at it. (assembling)

It is not good practice to put an odd numbered rod on an even numbered side as it could lead to a spun bearing. However it probably wont hurt to mix the on the same side, although it might confuse someone in the future. OH WAIT, it just did....LOL

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I disagree. Well not completely. If the rod journals have been reconditioned,new bearings installed and the engine is being given a major overhaul, isn't the only real important factor that the rod caps be kept as they were when reconditioned? And shouldn't they have been marked so the halves would stay together, 1/1 -- 2/2 etc? What I am saying is, if the engine had a major overhaul and all the parts reconditioned the only thing not putting the rod marked 1 back in cylinder 1 will do is give us reason to ask why ???

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