Engine rebuild, crank hard to turn by hand

[mrsolo2000]

Rebuilding a 3.2l. Main bearings look good and within desired clearance. New rod bearings and those are in clearance. New piston rings and cylinders were honed. All torque values meet on crank and rod bearing caps. The full rotating assembly seems way too hard to turn by hand. However, it will fully rotate. I started to remove a piston and it doesn't want to come out very easily. Should there be this much resistance with new rings and rod bearings?

This is my first time so any insight would be appreciated.

 

[rubydist]

by the time you get all the pistons in so that all the rings are dragging on the cylinder walls and all the bearings are in play, it is difficult to turn the thing over.

what did you use for assembly ****?

 

[mrsolo2000]

I used Lucas assembly ****, it's pretty thick.

 

[zak]

Any possibllity dirt got into the bearings? Seen it happen . . .

 

[mrsolo2000]

I spot checked a few rod bearings and I did not see any dirt or any thing else.

 

[rubydist]

sounds pretty normal to me.

 

[black92]

I agree, normal. I went through this same experience a few years ago and was told the same response. By the time you install all the pistons rotation by hand will get difficult.

 

[mrsolo2000]

That's the thing for me, I was able to rotate the crank with no pistons by hand. However, there is no way to rotate the full assembly by hand. I can at least rotate it (with a lot of effort) with a ratchet.

 

[rubydist]

dont rotate it any more than you must - you want that assembly **** still in place when you crank it over the first time to build up oil pressure.

 

[AREA 91]

Check to make sure that you have the connecting rods and caps installed correctly.

Yoou should rotate the engine one complete cycle after every piston assembly is installed. This will help you determine if there is a problem early on. It also let's you feel the proportionately increased drag after every piston assembly.