302 and Canton Girdle Issues

jadesville

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Oct 8, 2003
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Gresham, OR
I'm having an issue with the Canton Main girdle I bought earlier this month for a full rebuild i'm doing on my 302 (302 block) I had all the machine work already done, It has been already aligned to use studs and a girdle. The issue is when I installed my crank, using ARP studs (Bolts are supplied with the main girdle), installing everything properly and in the process of torquing down I had excessive turning torque in my crankshaft, almost to the point where I could not turn the crankshaft. When I pulled off the rear main cap, it tweaked forward, pinching the bearing onto the journal of the crankshaft, causing it to bind. I've gotten opinions from different machinests and they are equally as stumped as I am. I tried to go through a process of elimination of the problem, I used the bolts, using the correct torque sequence I still had an excessive turning torque problem, it looked to me as if the rear cap was tweaked forward still. When I torqued it down from the rear main cap first, I had no issues. Just laying the Main girdle onto the caps, and looking at the bores of the holes, the last holes on the girdle seems to be misaligned by 1/64" forward. The only solution a machinest offered me was to bore the diameter of the holes larger for the studs, which I think is the correct way, but I would like more opinions, I was also told that this is more than likely a defective product.

Removing the girdle and installing the crank and caps using another pair of studs I previously had, my caps were aligned fine and I had perfect turning torque on my crankshaft.

I e-mailed Canton last night, and I was pretty amazed at the help they supplied me with, none. They were very unprofessional with me how they conducted themselves, they did not answer any of my questions. I explained to them my issues, and they would not recognize their product as being defective, and only explained to me that the bolts they supplied is the only fastener that is compatiable with their product. After questioning that, they were very rude in a reply with me. I don't understand why they will not help me, I felt as if they were trying to ignore my problem.

Any help would be much appericated. I had to write this fast because I had to go to school. Thanks
 
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a.vannoy said:
Only thing I can think of is that you are using incorrect main bearing maybe a size to big and there is some play as a result. Did you have the crank miked?
Yes, and in fact I originally ordered the wrong size bearings .010 instead of .020, I've since then ordered the correct bearings and have measured and plastigauged, my clearances are good.
 
bore the rear holes larger to compensate. it doesnt hurt anything. this is the reason for mocking things up before final assembly. it is possible that the machine shop had the wrong number in, in their cnc machine.
 
rbohm said:
bore the rear holes larger to compensate. it doesnt hurt anything. this is the reason for mocking things up before final assembly. it is possible that the machine shop had the wrong number in, in their cnc machine.

Route666 said:
I'd blueprint the girdle too. (By that I mean put the holes where they're supposed to be, by drilling/machining.)

Thanks for your opinions. I will try redrilling the rear holes to compensate for the misalignment, hopefully it will do the trick. I should have paid more attention while mocking it up before the installation, im lucky that I have another set of bearings. Thanks