c20xe rods & caps... Mixed up...

[ST-eater]

Hi all,

Currently rebuilding a 20xe... and having no end of trouble with the f*cking thing...

Ive done a few in the past and had no issues, yet this one is a ballache....

I stripped it all down, and the bid end caps were stamped, 1,2,3,4.. fine i thought.... I whipped these off, boxed up and took the pistons out at a later date.

Come to refit it all today (with new bearings, rings hone etc)... and realised the pr*ck who stamped the caps, hasnt marked the rods... Now i know its my fault for not keeping the caps with the rods and taking it for granted both parts would have been marked... However how the hell do i tell which one goes with which rod?

I fitted it all in, and couldnt turn the crank... had a swap about, and now i can turn it with a set of grips... however im not happy with knowing that they 'could' be in the wrong order..

The caps are now back out, and one of the rods too, however nothing looks to match up... cant see any cast marks etc...

Are these rods paired with the caps, or does it not matter? If it does, how can i work out what goes where?

Im fitting ARPS also, so i guess there is less chance of spinning a bearing, however i dont want to chance anything..

Urgent help would be grand, as the pile of cr*ps on my kitchen floor leaking clean rebuild oil everywhere...

:)

[Andy]

If you had,more about you,and alot money in it, you would have paid more attention imo,if not just chance it and hope for the best L0lz

[ST-eater]

Cheers for calling me an idiot, however i know its my fault and we all make mistakes. I didnt come on here for a slating, i thought that a car forum was for people who know about, and have an interest in these cars/engines... and for people to ask questions about things they dont know, or need help with, hence me here!!

Just asking if they are paired from the factory, or can they be swapped... Surely someone has done a similar thing.

As for knowing what i 'have about me' or 'how much money' i have in the project, you havent a clue... why comment?

Clearly i had a memory lapse, and had other things on my mind...

Nice to see a friendly forum member... oh wait...

[Andy]

Cheers for calling me an idiot, however i know its my fault and we all make mistakes. Just asking if they are paired from the factory, or can they be swapped... Surely someone has done a similar thing.
Dont mention it lol
Yes it is your fault lol
You can put them together and they should be fine,its not a massive issue askong as the bearing shells are ok mate

[ST-eater]

Thats a better post, cheers.. all the shells are brand new, all bearings etc are new, and will be fitted with ARPs... (of course countersunk).

[Andy]

Just make sure everything is ocd clean,seriously.check haynes manual and photos of folk carrying out a similar task,theyre not superhuman.....
Ifb its the same way as the next at the same torque it shouldnt matter a ****e

[Andy]

Just make sure everything is ocd clean,seriously.check haynes manual and photos of folk carrying out a similar task,theyre not superhuman.....
Ifb its the same way as the next at the same torque it shouldnt matter a ****e
only main torques matter on crank.....
your rods/caps are your "big ends" btw
I arent all a cunnt that much after all.......l0l

[ST-eater]

Cheers... Ive done rebuilds before, and marked everything,... just didnt do it this time round rushing... and its came back to bite me lol...

The cranks all in grand... with the 50nm and then the angle turn... and the ARPs were in... 3 spins in and out then 32flb (which seems fairly loose... although using their lube).. but then i had issues with the crank locking... so ive stripped a load off it again... grr...

Once again cheers for your help... il mix and match till i get it to spin freely then.... :)

[Andy]

Hang on.
who's rebuild procedure are you following??
ARP will have a different one btw...
"crank locking"-please elaborate?? it isnt meant to lock up.....
Btw i am far from having a go,sorry if i come across as doing so...

[ST-eater]

Hang on.
who's rebuild procedure are you following??
ARP will have a different one btw...
"crank locking"-please elaborate?? it isnt meant to lock up.....
Btw i am far from having a go,sorry if i come across as doing so...

Im following my own rebuild procedure lol... done a fewengines prior to this one... Just following the online torque settings to get everything in fine...

The online torque settings im using for the standard bolts... and then the arps im following their guide on the sddev.co.uk site, which is to countersink 1mm on the rods, then cover in the super lube stuff, wind in and out 3 times, then torque up to 32lbft (http://www.sbdev.co.uk/Info_sheets/ROD_BOLTS/RB1%20&%202%20ARP%20Procedure%20Lube%20100-9908%20Blue.pdf)
As for the crank locking, i mean that one of the caps was restricting the crank turning... Ive just sat and swapped the 3 around i have in (as a piston has been removed).. and the crank spins freely this time around. I think its trial and error with it, as i couldnt find any marks to tie the caps in with the rods...

Two threads from cars ive built before... (just been a complete d*ck this time around lol)
http://www.pngclub.com/forum/showthread.php?144760-c20xe-Nova-LSD-Equal-Shafts-f16-Cage-Etc-Tax-Test
http://www.pngclub.com/forum/showthread.php?153800-Rebuilt-C20XE-Redtop-Corsa-1.2-Track-Car-With-LSD-New-Engine!!

[mowgli]

the crank is meant to be stiff to turn with the pistons & rods attached.... the metal is cold & the rings are giving a tight seal...

and to be fair, a set of grips on the end of the crank is hardly a strong lever

[philip]

i wouldnt risk using rods if caps are mixed up, even if turned, had to rebuild a lads xe after he cousin did the same thing, ended up ****ing the bearings up, having a rattle.

for the same of 30/40 quid, buy a matching set to be safe. no point guessing, will cost alot more to sort if didnt guess right...rods, bearings, mayeb even crank grind