Bit of a puzzler - building a '71 Lightning and can't get the cases together. Have done the endfloat calcs from the case/crank marks, new bearings, crank rotates freely in either MB/crankcase half but binds solid when I get the cases anywhere near together. Gap is far too big to be mildly incorrect endfloat. Almost as if the MB's are misaligned, but can't see how. Have taken the studs out in case they're eccentric but no dice.
almost as if the bearings are not in far enough, a spacer too big,how about the crank, has it been reground and the rads in the corners too big for the bearing rads (Ive known that before),
have you used two part bearings or assembled ones?
you say done the calcs from marks? I always do them from physical dimensions
Worth looking at this service sheet and checking your roller bearing and shim cup.
Thanks guys - will have another look. Timing side MB journal re-ground but seems to engage full-depth with the bush, may be "hourglassed" on the inner side I guess. DS main is 2 pce bearing but dimensionally identical to the one that came out as far as I can see. Engine had 0.015 of shims and crankcase/crank marks would suggest 0.016 required to get 0.003 endfloat so have 0.017 in at the mo to give 0.002, but it's binding much "further apart" than that which suggests TS MB journal.
Just a thought! It maybe irrelevant but is the location dowel (positioned at about 1 o'clock when looking at the joint face of the LH case) in place?
I had a similar problem which manifested itself in that the camshaft wouldn't spin freely and there was a slight mismatch in the cylinder base face on the two halves.
The dowel clearly wasn't there when I stripped them but previous owner got round that by missing out two of the front crankcase bolts bolts - Clever!
Chris