Build Your First Chevy Engine - How to Build Your First Engine

With a clean block, install all the main bearings with the grooves in the upper bearing saddles and caps. Also install the rear-main seal with the lip (arrow) facing the inside of the block. You might also want to offset the seal parting lines so they don't line up with the parting lines in the block.

Now place the lube supplied with the cam on just the lobes of the cam. Using a cam-install tool (or a length of 5/16 all-thread), slide the cam in. We used Federal-Mogul's green assembly lube on the cam journals.

Use the same heavy green lube on all the main journals and carefully drop the crank into place in the block. Place all the main caps in their proper orientation (you did mark them to prevent a mix up, didn't you?) and snug the bolts. We previously installed the crank gear by driving it in place with a homemade pipe and a hammer.

To properly align the thrust bearings on the No. 5 main, snug the main-cap bolts, then tap the crank rearward and then forward with a rubber hammer. Torque only the No. 5 main-cap bolts. Now you can measure crankshaft endplay.

Using a dial indicator and a magnetic base, measure the crankshaft endplay. Look for 0.003 to 0.010 inch. There's not much you can do if the endplay is too loose. If it is tight, remove both bearing halves and sand both thrust surfaces together on wet-dry sandpaper.

Lube the cylinder bores with Childs & Albert assembly lube, Total Seal's dry film lube, or CHP Tech Consultant Kevin McClelland's favorite--Marvel Mystery Oil. According to McClelland, Marvel oil leaves no residue to carbon up the rings. Do not use ATF.