Mopar 4323815 CRANKSHAFT-Assembly

Crankshaft installation is generally one of the first tasks in engine reassembly, assuming the engine block and crankshaft have been cleaned, inspected, and repaired. Position the engine with the bottom facing up, then remove the main bearing cap bolts and lift out the caps, laying them out in the proper order. If old bearing inserts are still in place, remove them and wipe the main bearing surfaces with a clean, lint-free cloth to keep them spotless. Clean the back sides of the new main bearing inserts and place one half in each main bearing saddle in the block, with the corresponding half in the main bearing cap, ensuring the tab fits into the recess and the oil holes align. The flanged thrust bearing must be installed in the center cap and saddle. Clean the bearing faces and crankshaft main bearing journals, checking the oil holes for dirt. Once the crankshaft is clean, carefully lay it in position in the main bearings, and check the main bearing oil clearance using Plastigage, placing it on each crankshaft main bearing journal. Clean the bearing faces in the caps and install them in their respective positions, tightening the main bearing cap bolts in three steps to the specified torque without rotating the crankshaft. After removing the bolts and lifting off the caps, compare the width of the crushed Plastigage to the scale on the wrapper to obtain the main bearing oil clearance, ensuring the measurement is correct. If the clearance is not correct, double-check the bearing inserts and ensure no dirt or oil was present during measurement. Carefully scrape off any Plastigage material from the main bearing journals and bearing faces, then lift the crankshaft out of the engine, cleaning the bearing faces in the block and applying a thin layer of clean, high-quality moly-base grease or engine assembly lube to each bearing surface, including the thrust faces. Lay the crankshaft back in place, clean the bearing faces in the caps, apply grease, and install the caps with arrows pointing toward the front of the engine, tightening the bolts to the specified torque in three steps. For manual transaxle models, install a new pilot bearing in the end of the crankshaft, lubricate the cavity and bearing, and tap it into position. Rotate the crankshaft by hand to check for binding, and finally, check crankshaft end play with a feeler gauge or dial indicator.

Soak the crankshaft in solvent and rinse off the solvent then should ensure that the crankshaft is dried and ensure that the oil holes are scrubbed using a stiff brush and flushed with solvent. Measure all the journals of both, the connecting rod and the crank, for excessive cylinder to cylinder wear, cylinder crossing or crank twisting, and also for any score, pit or crack. The diameter of the main and con-rod journals should be measured with a micrometer after taking the measurements at different area to determine the taper and out-of- round condition on the shaft, and then compared with reference data about the shaft. Check also for out-of-round with measurements taken at certain points in circumference of the journal and for taper with measurements taken at the two extremities of the journal where crank counterweights are usually attached to. Should the crankshaft journals be damaged, tapered, out of round or worn to the degree that they are beyond the limits stated above then the crankshaft should be reground by an automotive machine shop but in case reconditioning is needed then it is advisable to use the correct size bearing inserts. Furthermore, check on the main and the rod bearing inserts.