Assuming you're doing this from the bottom with the heads still on...
clean out the spark plug wells, THEN remove the spark plugs so that the engine will rotate more easily.
Bring the rod you want to do down to the bottom of it's stroke,
Remove rod nuts and using a pair of channel lock pliers, grip the ends of the rod cap and with a slight rocking motion, pull the cap downward.
Remove that insert and label it. (ie, #2 bottom)
Slip short pieces of 5/16 or 3/8"rubber hose over the now exposed rod bolts to protect the crankshaft journal from nicking.
Using your thumbs, push the rod and piston up and away from the crank enough to rotate the upper insert out.
Now this is important! Always clean the surfaces where the back side of a bearing insert will be of any oil. Repeat: the non spinning side of all bearings should be free of all oil. DO NOT USE GREASE TO HOLD AN INSERT IN THE ROD OR CAP! The grease takes up space and doesn't allow the correct torque to be applied to rod bolt nuts and will make it difficult to turn the engine. But later the rod nuts will be loose.
Take a new insert half, they are identical, and slightly spread it a little wider. This will help it stay in the upper rod space.
Push the sprung insert into the rod making sure that the dimple of the insert fits snugly in the corresponding slot of the rod.
When the insert is in correctly, the ends of the insert will be flush with the rod. If it isn't, find out why and fix it.
Before you bring the rod back down to the crank, you need to put a liberal amount of assembly grease, white Lithium grease or STP Oil Treatment on the bearing surface.
Bring the rod down to the journal using hand muscles, not arm muscles. Much more controllable.
Remove the two rubber hoses from the rod bolts.
Put a new insert (no need to spread the bottom inserts) in the correct, cleaned rod cap, apply **** and mate cap to rod. On the SHO there is a triangle I believe that points toward the front of the engine.
Spin on rod nuts, and torque in two stages to spec.
If the motor rotates after all these steps are done, go to next rod. If it doesn't, DO NOT TRY AND FORCE IT TO ROTATE WITH A BIGGER WRENCH! Take that rod cap back off and find out why.
If you want to verify that the bearing to crank journal clearances are within spec and you forgot to buy PlastiGage, you can place a small piece of loose leaf paper the width of the insert by 1" long, between the cap insert and the journal. Now when you torque down that cap, that little piece of paper will lock up the crank solid, telling you that you have a good and tight fit. Undo the rod nuts and remove the piece of paper, apply some more **** and re-torque the nuts in two stages to spec.
Hope that helps.
Tom
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