plasti-gage, verifying clearances on bearings

[grumpyvette]

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetai ... toview=sku

you can buy single strips but its far cheaper in larger size boxes, if your using it frequently
plasti-gauge is an excellent cross check tool, easy to use and accurate, if used correctly, and I would not be a bit concerned if thats all you had to check bearing clearances, I use a fairly expensive set of mics, and snap gauges but I always cross check with plasti-gauge, and you ll be surprised at how accurate its really is


read these links & threads

http://forum.grumpysperformance.com/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=4294

http://forum.grumpysperformance.com/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=247

viewtopic.php?f=53&t=3449&p=9134&hilit=+assembly+lube#p9134

viewtopic.php?f=53&t=2733

viewtopic.php?f=53&t=852&p=1311&hilit=checking+bearings#p1311

https://www.fordmuscle.com/fundamentals/plastiguage/

viewtopic.php?f=59&t=1026&p=4327&hilit=plasti+gauge#p4327

viewtopic.php?f=53&t=2726&p=7077&hilit=plastigauge#p7077

http://www.autozone.com/test-scan-and-s ... 36168_0_0/

http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/additional ... icrometer/

viewtopic.php?f=53&t=9214&p=43456&hilit=plastigauge#p43456
http://www.plastigaugeusa.com/how.html

Clevite 77 Plastigage
P/N Color Oil Clearance Range
MPG1 green .001 in - .003 in (.025 - .075 mm)
MPR1 red .002 in - .006 in (.050 - .15 mm)
MPB1 blue .004 in - .009 in (.10 - .23 mm)
MPY1 yellow .009 in - .020 in (.23 - .50 mm)

viewtopic.php?f=59&t=1390

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetai ... toview=sku
Plastigauge, Green Kit, 0.001 in.-0.003 in. Clearance Range, Each

"Accurately measure bearing clearances.
Made from a special extruded plastic thread with accurately controlled crush properties, Plasti-gage provides a fast and accurate way to check bearing clearances. Plasti-gage is packaged in a calibrated envelope that not only protects the plastic threads, but also serves as a scale to measure the bearing clearance. One package contains enough Plastigage to check both main and connecting rod clearance for one engine. "

now this stuff is really easy to use , it looks like green angle hair spaghetti,, you spray down your crank journal,and matched bearing surfaces with wd-40 so it won,t stick to the surfaces, lay a 1/2" long section in the center of the journal, replace the bearing cap, and torque to specs, then WITHOUT spinning the crank you disassemble the bearing cap, remove the cap and use the edge of the package the plasti-gage came in to compare the crushed width to the scale on the edge of the packaging.
simple and REASONABLY EFFECTIVE, if you don,t own snap gauges and a full set of mics.......just remember to remove it from the bearing or journal,before you proceed further, in the engines reassembly

now personally I like the stuff (PLASTI-GAGE) as a secondary way to check bearing clearances, but a decent set of mics and a machinists caliper and snap gauges is a good thing to have , and altho I use plasti-gage I don,t trust it alone to check clearances

btw spray the bearing and the crank surfaces, and the plastigage with WD40 before you measure clearances and it won,t tend to stick as much

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... umber=5649

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=32214

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... umber=5043

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INPAGE?PMPA ... s/317-0764

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=97389

now theres FAR better QUALITY tools than the ones I linked too, but unless your doing engines on a regular basis I find these will work reasonably well, naturally if your doing it seriously youll want better quality tools

you might want too read thru this also

viewtopic.php?f=52&t=181

http://video.google.com/videosearch?oe= ... Q&start=20

MEASURE CAREFULLY

 

[stroker87]

Grumpy, I understand how it works but not sure on the correct way to use it?

do you install a bearing then check or with out a bearing?

how do you know what clearance you need on the main & rod bearings?

 

[grumpyvette]

it comes with instructions , in most cases,
but what you'll do in your case is,
pull ALL the main caps after stamping them, lightly with a die set

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... number=800

to insure they get replaced individually,In their correct location and facing the correct direction, you can lift the crank about 1/4" out of the block to ease replacement of the upper bearing shells, or IDEALLY you'll pull the whole rotating assembly for close inspection,
INSPECT THE BEARINGS CAREFULLY,
insert a 1/2" long strip of plasti-gauge across the bearing in line with the crank center line,
spray it with WD40,
replace the original main cap with its original bearing still in place,
torque that main cap back into place, and then WITH OUT moving the crank remove it and check the clearance against the chart
verify that with the factory specs, it should be close,
if its not a change in bearing size might be useful
if its within about a 1/2 thousandths, just replace with the same size NEW bearing, coated with MOLY assembly lube, torque into place understand that worn bearings will have a bit more clearance than new ones,
DEAL WITH A QUALITY MACHINE SHOP with a GREAT REPUTATION that depends on maintaining good customer feed back for repeat work.
a competent and experienced machine shop, machinist, you can trust to point out whats REQUIRED and what is SUGGESTED is a very valuable asset , you really should look for and researching what you think needs to be done, how that is accomplished and why its likely necessary in any particular application, goes a long way toward preventing both disagreements and wasted money on an engine build AS does having access too or better yet owning some precision measuring tools that allow you to check and verify that any machine work you pay for was in fact correctly done!

viewtopic.php?f=53&t=88

viewtopic.php?f=53&t=852

viewtopic.php?f=53&t=247

first ID suggest that while its always nice to have super accurate precision tools its generally NOT critical in a basic engine rebuild to have the best or even close too the best measuring tools available.
now Im not suggesting accuracy is not important , but you seldom need accuracy to be less than than .0001 and some of the more expensive tools are designed to provide that level of accuracy, what you need is repeat-ability and consistency and the ability to get accuracy down to about .0002.
For measuring equipment Mitutoyo is tough to beat. The better stuff from Starrett is good as ,is the better quality tools from a few other sources.
I think youlll want to think thru how often youll use the tools and really how accurate you need to be ,take a step back and honestly ask your self, are you doing this often enough to invest a good amount of cash in tools you may not use more than once or twice a year or less, you have to ask yourself how much use the tools will get and how much having them will mean to you, I have several quality tools that I don't use enough on a consistent basis to really warrant their price they cost,but too me it was worth it to have them, and in most cases i got them at a discount (STILL DARN EXPENSIVE) so I could do the precision measurement work myself and do it right, and be sure of the results, but I,d be the first guy to admit I double check most bearing clearances with plasti-gauge strips
from a practical stand point, getting clearances in an engine down into less that a 1/4 of 1 thousandth (.00025 ) or less on the most critical components) and most down to (.0005 ) is usually sufficient, and on many even a full thousandth variation is not critical., example, a difference in rod side clearance, ring end gap or quench distance is far less critical than a thousandth difference in main bearing clearance, or piston to bore clearance.
now IM not suggesting the more expensive tools are not slightly better, but IM surprised at the level of accuracy the cheaper tools exhibit.

http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/KeywordSearchCmd?storeId=10001&catalogId=10002&langId=-1&Ntk=all&Jnar=0&itemPerPage=60&Ne=1+2+3+13+1147708&searchTerm=dial+bore+gauge

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f72CszjaD5k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qU5YOIT8Htw
http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/KeywordSearchCmd?storeId=10001&catalogId=10002&langId=-1&Ntk=all&Jnar=0&itemPerPage=60&Ne=1+2+3+13+1147708&searchTerm=dial+bore+gauge

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/cca-5605/overview/

http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS+Performance+Products/555/81630/10002/-1

http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/KeywordSearchCmd?storeId=10001&catalogId=10002&langId=-1&Ntk=all&Jnar=0&itemPerPage=60&Ne=1+2+3+13+1147708&searchTerm=michrometer

http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/KeywordSearchCmd?storeId=10001&catalogId=10002&langId=-1&Ntk=all&Jnar=0&itemPerPage=60&Ne=1+2+3+13+1147708&searchTerm=michrometer

http://www.amazon.com/Fowler-52-646...=1434331104&sr=1-1&keywords=fowler+52-646-400

http://www.harborfreight.com/12-inch-di ... 47261.html
IVE got a wide selection of MICS and Calipers and IVE checked the cheap Chinese crap measurements and consistency against the much more expensive Japanese and American tools and surprisingly most are consistent , and reasonably accurate and decent quality if you get the stainless steel tools
Mitutoyo, makes a good set that Ive had for years ( I bought a used set similar to the picture below, cheap at a yard sale, for $150 )

heres a cheap chinese import set, Ive used, a a friends house that work ok
http://grizzly.com/products/G5632

http://grizzly.com/products/2-6-Dial-Bore-Gage-Set/T24793

Ive found that a decent set of snap gauges and mics and a decent digital caliper will allow you to get bye quite nicely when used with some other checking tools, like plasti-gauge. repeatability and consistency are important.
plasti-gauge is an excellent cross check tool, easy to use and accurate, if used correctly, and I would not be a bit concerned if thats all you had to check bearing clearances, I use a fairly expensive set of mics, and snap gauges but I always cross check with plasti-gauge, and you ll be surprised at how accurate its really is

http://ecatalog.mitutoyo.com/Holtest-Ty ... C1530.aspx

even the cheapest Chinese tools are usually adequate if you know what your doing, and are only using them occasionally and take care in carefully measuring components, and you verify with plasti Gage ,feeler gauges, and your consistent and take care during assembly
(SURELY NOT IDEAL BUT FULLY USABLE, frankly IM amazed at the cheap tool accuracy levels) I think a good deal of the reason is that once your down to clearances of a 1/2 thousand or less a few ten thousands difference are less a concern to durability than consistency and care taken in assembly and clearencing, and polishing, or smoothing parts

you'll need check standards to verify accuracy before each use, and you must keep the standards remain rust free in zip loc bags with a fine coat of wd40

checking standards
READ THRU THE LINKS AND SUB LINKS
or youll miss a great deal of related useful info

viewtopic.php?f=59&t=1026&p=4327&hilit=plasti+gauge#p4327

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=3157&p=8449#p8449

http://www.medfordtools.com/metalworking/123blocks.html

http://mechdb.com/index.php/Plastigagin ... clearances

http://www.qualitymag.com/CDA/Archives/ ... 32a8c0____

https://www.travers.com/htdocs/pdf/0744cat.pdf

most micrometer sets come with check standards,but youll generally want a few extra sized ones, its important that you verify accuracy with them, remember heat expands metal, don,t expect parts that are warm to measure the same when its cool

http://www.wikihow.com/Use-and-Read-an- ... Micrometer

http://www.worldtools.com/tools/precisi ... p-971.html

viewtopic.php?f=59&t=1026

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=1268

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=989

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=903

viewtopic.php?f=52&t=399

viewtopic.php?f=52&t=90

viewtopic.php?f=53&t=88

http://video.google.com/videosearch?oe= ... Q&start=20


viewtopic.php?f=50&t=342

viewtopic.php?f=44&t=374&p=457#p457

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=97389

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=66512

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... umber=5649

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=32214

http://www.jegs.com/i/Mopar+Performance ... 9/10002/-1

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=611

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=1027

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=723

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000HDF8N4/ref ... nkCode=asn