[mechanickeith]

I am doing a rebuild of a 63 4 cyl, after short block was back together I have found conflicting info re: what direction the rods go on the pistons. This is in reguards to the direction of the oil squirter to lubricate the cyl wall. 63 fact manual says the large boss on the rod goes to the rear of the engine. This would put the squirter pointing down, motor manual says the oil squirter goes up. If you look at it as a V8, the squirters all go up & as the engine is running, it puts oil into the opposite cylinder for piston lubrication. But with the 4 cyl there is no cyl on the opposite to provide cyl lube. I assembled the engine with the oil lube hole pointing down. Does anyone know for sure what way they go???

My daily driver I rebuilt in 98 & has over 125K miles on it. I dont remember what way I put the rods in on that motor, but went with the info found in the fact manual. The 61 manual has them pointing down. I need to know if I have them in right before I finish assembling. Any help or thoughts are welcome.

Thanks, Keith

[mechanickeith]

38 views & no thoughts or ideas????

[wheelspin]

Hi Keith and Merry Xmas,

Aren't the rods chamfered on only one side to clear the crank fillets? Since aftermarket rods do not have squirter drillways, are they really necessary?

Les

[mechanickeith]

Hi Les!! & A Very Merry Christmas To you & yours!!!

The 4 cyl rods have a small chamfer on BOTH sides!! They could be installed either way. I have them installed as per the factory manual. I was concerned that they may be in wrong. Just want to cover all my bases. I guess there is enough thrown off of the rods when it is running to provide lube to the cyl & wrist pin. This engine is .060 over, 400 press fit pin flat tops, 9 to 1 compression, pump gas engine. BOP rear seal, melling pump, crank polished out to std-std on rods & mains, balance shop was complaining that they wore out their drill bit in the balance process. I just want this to be bullit proof, as it is going to be in my next daily driver & dont have the time & $$$ to do over. Guess I will finish assembly, oil & prime it up & try to get it installed next weekend!!

Old "Betsy" is getting tired again!! Rear main is leaking real bad & transmission is starting to slip a bit. Time to take her out of service for a while & freshen her up!!

We are planning on being in Bakersfield for the march meet, hope to see you & Sharon at Pontiacheaven!!

Keith

[Jack Gifford]

If you can't tell the difference in the rod chamfers, what about slipping bearing inserts into them and look at where the larger bearing chamfer sits? I seem to remember most rod bearings having a larger chamfer facing the "cheek" side of the journal. But- I've never seen the four-cylinder crank- does it have a "cheek" on both sides of each rod (i.e., rod journals only about 1" wide)?

[mechanickeith]

Jack, The bearing does sit a bit to one side of the rod like on a standard stock rod. Both sides of the rods have a chamfer the same size. Crank has a standard radius on both sides. I have it assembled as the 63 factory manual says. Everything spec'd out fine. Rods at .0015, mains at .002. Not bad when you consider this crank is 44 years old & only needed a polish. I am thinking it will be fine, just wanted to see if anyone else has ran into what I found.

[rod cole]

as i understand from old timers the holes were actually to oil the cam lobes so they should point up on the slant four because the cam is in the same realitive position as a v8 that being said many advances in oil so probably doesn,t matter that much. look to see if the rod is centered in the piston some rods <buicks>have off set in them. just my 2 cents.

[455HOGT37]

I was told long ago that the hole oiled the cam as well. I was also told that the rods throw so much oil anyway, it doesn't really matter. I brought this up long ago because when I took my Tempest 4 apart, the rods were in "wrong" as well. I'm guessing since they were built, they used V-8 rods and almost exactly half of the Tempest 4 engines had them installed "wrong".

[gregsgtos2]

the randy williams 2 door wagon is for sale on ebay under 1963 pontiac tempest wagon,it is truly 1 of a kind.

[mechanickeith]

gregsgtos2, Granted, it is a nice car, that is selling for more than I have in my house & ALL my cars combined, BUT this is a TECH forum thread. I started this thread to gather info & ideas about the assembly of an engine. If I was looking for an overpriced 63 wagon I would have looked in the FOR SALE section.

To everyone else who replied, Thanks for the info/suggestions. I pulled it apart & am getting the rods turn'd so they point up. Had a talk with my machinest also. Should be going back together thursday.

Keith

[mechanickeith]

Got the rods turnd up, its back together, oil primed, coming out all pushrods, all buttoned up. still need to drop dist. in & set timing. Then comes the fun part, getting it in the 62 Lemans!!! Thanks for all the suggestions everyone!! With any luck it will be running by next weekend!!