Assembling my 3400

[92cavquest]

Local machine shop told me on the same side. Now I'm confused. lol

[ForcedFirebird]

Your machinist is correct. I just took apart an unmolested 3.1 rod and the bearing tangs are on the same side. If looking down at the top of the piston with the notch to the right (rod attached), both bearing tangs are at the 12 o'clock position.

Once again, my fault. i jumped the gun earlier and wasn't at the shop to confirm.

[92cavquest]

Thank you sir. I appreciate the reply. Now I can go complete the bottom end of my engine.

[92cavquest]

I believe my parts store has given me the wrong parts yet again. I have what is labled a an e981k piston ring set here. The problem is that the oil ring will not fit into the piston groove at all, let alone the top and botton spacers that keep the center portion in place.

Am I missing something? Are there supposed to be special instructions with this? I thought it would be self explanatory.

Please help. LOL

[95Grand-Am]

That hapened to me once. There are two ring sets I believe the upper rings are the the right size but the oil ring was too wide. The right rings interchange with a chysler motor maybe a 3.3L? measure the width on your old ring before you go back to the parts store.

[92cavquest]

For future reference. If your pistons have a 3mm wide oil ring the part #'s are Sealed Power e905k or Hastings 2c4903. Applications for this ring set are 1999-2001 Dodge Intrepid 3.2L DOHC
1999-2001 Chrysler Concorde 3.2L DOHC

Just figured I'd post this up for anyone else searching for it in the future.

[55trucker]

a suggestion for you......since you seem to be dealing with a *basket-case* that you didn't disassemble....consider getting some plastigage...".003" and gauge all of the journals in the bottom end so you know what the clearances all are,(that crank should spin freely by hand when lubed)....before you seal it up....do this just for your own peace of mind sake...it's better to be safe than sorry...also..do you know if the end caps for the rods have been kept on the proper rods that each one belongs to? I've not seen the bottom end on one of these GM 6's for some time but I'm sure that the caps & rods are marked ......these are Not a mix&match item.....each cap is machined to the rod it belongs to. Also......measure your crankshaft end play at the thrust bearing...proper clearance is between .0024" & .0083".....that 2.4thou & 8.3thou..a wooden drift (nothing steel) on the front of the crank snout and on the flywheel flange should move it nicely. Good luck with your project

[92cavquest]

I will plastigage the bearings to check the clearances. Each rod and cap were stamped with the corresponding hole when removed. After installing the main bearings I did seat the "thrust" bearing by moving the crank back and forth w/ a 4x4 and a hammer. Play is @ .0032".