Connecting rod lubrication hole - 1962 Gale 5hp

Vintage Iron

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Does the hole in the rod shank face up towards the flywheel? I didn't pay attention when I disassembled the lower end. (oops!)

I also found a couple of sources for new OEM rod bearing sets:
One online vendor $29.99 + $2.99 shipping
Another online vendor $85.00 + $12.00 shipping

I bought my first set from USB and my second set from NLM. Both were very nice people to deal with.
 

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gm280

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VI, is the rod made offset? I mean is the piston pin hole sets closer to one side of the actual rod shaft then the other? If it is symmetrical, I would also think the hole up so when oil moves through the engine, it would collect oil to feed the crank bearing better. But that is only a guess.
 

Vintage Iron

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Yup, that's what I was thinking. Up would allow the oil mist to gather and creep down onto the rod bearing surfaces. The small end bushing is not offset; the rod is symmetrical. I'm installing them this way for now. If I'm wrong, I'll reverse them before I seal up the crankcase halves. Note to self: In the future, pay attention!
 

gm280

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Yup, that's what I was thinking. Up would allow the oil mist to gather and creep down onto the rod bearing surfaces. The small end bushing is not offset; the rod is symmetrical. I'm installing them this way for now. If I'm wrong, I'll reverse them before I seal up the crankcase halves. Note to self: In the future, pay attention!

My usual suggestion to everyone starting any project is to take tons of pictures along the way. It is so easy and records every little thing that you would never think about while working on the project. But so many times those pictures save the day. JMHO
 

Vintage Iron

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Yeah, getting excited and carried away is NEVER a good plan. I've been taking pics, but I'll make it a point to take them BEFORE, not after.
 

Vintage Iron

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000_0025[1].JPG I installed the rods with the oil hole facing up. Since the motor doesn't use pressure lubrication, I didn't see any need for a drain hole. Facing up, the little holes provide access to the rod needle bearings for all the oil mist collecting on the upper rod surface. Needle bearings really cut down on the friction and wear to the big end bearings and journal surfaces, but what a pain in the tail! It took just over an hour to get the crankshaft installed. I am REALLY glad that part is done!
 

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F_R

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To ease your mind, yes the oil hole faces up. For the reasons you guessed.
 

Vintage Iron

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Thanks F_R! That's really good to hear. Tearing everything back down again would not have been fun.
 

gm280

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VI, hows that engine rebuild coming along now? :noidea:
 

Vintage Iron

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The power head is complete. Honed the cylinder walls, and they cleaned up well - no galling or scars, just a smooth, uniform finish. Found a good set of clean pistons. Polished the skirts and ran them kin the tumbler for a couple of days. They came out really nice! Polished the rod and main journals on the crank and then reassembled with new gaskets.

100_1648.JPG 100_1649.JPG

Gotta tell ya, needle bearings on the rod big ends make a LOT of sense, but what a pain in the butt!!! Now I'm starting work on the lower end (foot?). Cleaning and polishing and replacing a couple of worn parts - the clutch dog and the shifter lever.
 

racerone

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And why are the needle bearings a pain.----Did you use a wee bit of grease during assembly ??
 

Vintage Iron

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Oh yeah. Actually used a kinda gooey mixture of cam break in lube and 2-stroke oil. Liquid enough to flow and lubricate, but thick enough to hold needles in place. What nailed me was that while lowering the crank into place to mate up with the rods, the needles kept shifting. Pretty frustrating. The 5th attempt was successful, and it all went back together. Without sparkplugs, it spins smoothly (some resistance due to freshly honed cylinder walls and new rings). With plugs installed, there's a nice amount of compression, so I'm feeling pretty good. Now, I've got to go through the lower end, clean and relube everything and install a new water pump and seals. It getting closer to 'smoke and noise' time!
 

racerone

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Just put a few of these motors with those rods together.---Used needle bearing assembly grease.----14 needles in both pieces.---Then add the last 2 before putting the cap on.
 
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