>Richard Smith writes...
>"WRONG. If you need to measure the bearing clearance to this sort of
>tolerance, you need the above-mentioned 'Plasti-Gauge'. This is a plastic
>strip which you insert between the crankpin journal and the shell bearing,
>you then torque down the cap, light the cigar, remove the bearing cap, and
>measure the width of the Plasti-Gauge. You then compare the measured width
>with a table provided in the plasti-gauge pack, and - hey presto! the
>bearing clearance is revealed, to the nearest couple of tenths.
>FLAME OFF.
>With apologies.
Rick...
Read it all again. Of course the mains are measured with Plastigage--the
discussion
pertained to thrust bearing clearance, which IMHO plastigage is not suited for.
First,
there is no controlled pressure as from torquing down the main bearing caps,
Second I don't
think it even comes in the thickness needed--ie. 5-10 mils. (can't remember
details here,
though).
The suggestion by the earlier commentor was that you could predict in advance
which thrust
bearing was needed, which seemed to me to be a reasonable suggestion.
I think you may be a bit harsh in your assessment of most "pros". Maybe the
guy at the
Shamrock station can't make the measurement/calculation, but anybody who is
grinding cranks
should certainly be able to do this.
Ray
-------------------------------------
Name: Ray W. James
Texas Transportation Institute
Civil Engineering Department, Texas A&M University
E-mail: Ray James <rwj4123@sigma.tamu.edu>
Date: 09/07/94
Time: 11:10:56
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