Rod Caps - Advice Needed

[pjdeb]

Novice here. When I took the engine apart on my 1923 coupe I noticed that the number 2 rod cap had been X and a dipper pipe had been installed. I would have expected that to be the number 1.

None of the other caps had been X or drilled.

On closer inspection I noticed that the "number 2" had the factory markings of 1.

What was in "number 1" actually had the factory markings as 2. Should I put the back in as I found them or should I switch them to the factory markings?

The engine had been overhauled before. Not many miles on it since then. Sat for 30 years.

Your opinion on which way to put the caps back on?

 

[29spcoupe]

I would say that as long as you don't hear the rods making noise or are not experiencing any problems, leave the rods alone. The rods have been put in that position for a reason at some time in the past which is not apparent at this time. Unless you can talk to the person who placed the rods in that position, I would leave them alone.

 

[stevests]

Most likely scenario was #1 went south in the past & was replaced with a modern rod. Hopefully you "indexed" each cap to each rod - re-install the same way you removed them.

 

[rotorwrench]

Once a cap is run with a specific journal then they are mated for the life of the babbitt material. The journals should be checked for play. A person can use plasti-gage to check actual clearances.

Your engine may have been "repaired " for excessive clearance by swapping caps out with new, overhauled, or used caps from another motor. Some folks would file on the cap parting surface to reduce clearance so it may or may not be usable they way it was.