302 Ford main bearings and rod bearings installation 

[@casenumber8799]

I'm building a 302/5.0 this week (my first engine build). These tips are pure gold. Especially like starting main bolts before fitting the cap. Thank you.

[@THE-SHOP]

Very welcome. Just take your time and double check your work. 👍🏼

[@robertd1474]

Super great advice! Much appreciated, I'm building my 302

[@THE-SHOP]

Not a problem hope it helps

[@jdrods1519]

Awesome stuff brother and awesome build!!! 🇺🇸💪🏼

[@THE-SHOP]

Thank man I appreciate that.

[@kuyaearly143]

so glad you turned ring compressor over , it was upside down on the first piston , be careful doing that you will break the rings 😎 good job

[@THE-SHOP]

Yeah definitely not what I intended. Thanks for watching ✌🏼

[@jesseduke694]

U might consider tapping the main caps in place rather than seating them by tighting the bolts? Just a suggestion. Your clearances do look good!

[@G.Harley.Davidson]

I ordered standard OEM thickness main bearings for a 1996 Ford Explorer and put them in and the damn crank won’t spin at all. Wonder what the Hell the problem is ? They micro. the same as the old bearings too.

[@THE-SHOP]

Everything was clean? Crank, main caps. The bearings do say standard? They are not 10/10 bearings.

[@robertd1474]

No lock tite on the bolts?

[@THE-SHOP]

Not on mains or rods I never have on any of my builds. Some blue lock tite on cam thrust plate but that’s it.

[@grngs1]

PLASTIGAGE LENGTH IS TO BE THE SAME WIDTH AS THE BEARING BEING CHECKED

[@THE-SHOP]

Huh that’s a new one. Never heard that before. Even the plastigage website step by step doesn’t say anything about that. In some instance they show laying a whole piece in and other a small piece. The squish is the same each time. Thanks for your comment though. 👍🏼

[@grngs1]

sure thing brother @@THE-SHOP

[@brianbelgarde6846]

Dude, are you gaugeing on the washer? No way that would be accurate

[@clintonsmith9931]

Nobody can read a mic anymore. Or they would rather take twice as long messing with that stuff.

[@THE-SHOP]

Trust me if I was building one of these more than every few years I would buy a bore gage and a mic. Last motor I built was 25 years ago and is still running today. ✌🏼