Inspect the rod bearings for normal wear patterns as you check for bends in the tabs, grooves, pits, scoring and fatigue and put in new bearings for any of those that show signs of unusual wear. Take a look at the journals on the connecting rods to see if there are any scrapes, score marks or burrs, since misalignment or bends in the connecting rod can damage the
Pistons, piston rings, the cylinder walls, the connecting rod bearings and the
Crankshaft's connecting rod journals. Should the usage show that the connecting rod is not straight, adjust it correctly or replace any badly connected parts. Clean the rod journal, insert the short rubber hose over the rod bolts, cover only the bearing insert with oil, fasten the upper bearing into the connecting rod and when installing, point the ring grooves of the piston to the front of the engine. Place the lower bearing insert in the bearing cap, make sure it's not damp, put Plastigage over the entire insert in the center of the cap. Put on the bearing cap and connecting rod onto the journal, but do not tighten the bolts past 45 Nm (33 ft. lbs.) or else the Plastigage will get smeared. With the bearing cap removed, measure the compressed Plastigage and check if the bearing-to-journal clearance measured is the same throughout the insert's width. Any difference might suggest a tapered journal, bent connecting rod or things stuck between the journal and the cap or rod. If the clearance is right, take out the Plastigage and carry on stalling; if it goes beyond useful clearance standards, put in two undersize bearing liners and ensure all odd-size inserts are at the bottom, then test the gap once more. With the smaller-than-normal inserts, the distance between the part and the cutting tool is evaluated to see if any other changes are needed. Take, for example, when the clearance is 0.0762 mm (0.003 inch)-if you use inserts that are 0.025 mm (0.001 inch) undersize, the clearance drops to 0.002 inch which is acceptable. Start by doing the Plastigage test again after choosing the bearing and once you have the right one, put it in place with the cap and fasten with 45 Nm (33 ft. lbs.) of torque. To check side clearance, slide a tight feeler gauge inside the gap between the connecting rod and crankshaft flange. If the measurement isn't right, put in a replacement connecting rod.