5sfe 93 celica gt piston rod problem

[Celica5sfe]

I'm new here, and I know this would be the best place to ask.

So far, I have everything assembled in this rebuild, but the only problem I have come across is the piston rods and caps.

The Haynes manual says specifically for the 5sfe engine, that the rods need to be torqued to 18 ft lbs, THEN turned an additional 90* to be torqued properly. Well, needless to say, I did that. The crank would not turn, it refused. I loosened the rod caps, and the crank spun freely. So I torqued them back do to 18 ft lbs again. The crank turned, pretty easily. I torqued to a little less than 90*s, and it wouldn't turn again.

The plasti-guage showed fine. Am I doing something wrong here? or is it supposed to be that tight?? I couldn't turn it to save my life. It just wasn't happening. I appreciate you reading, and any advice or help that is given, I will greatly appreciate as well!

[bumperbozo]

if you go down to page EG1-99 on this http://www.scribd.com/doc/9571013/Toyota-5sfe-engine

you see that the spec here is the same - 18ftlbs plus 90 degrees.

you could check the rest of the procedure to make sure it is the same as yours, paying special attention to any mention of lubrication

also, it's hard to tell how much leverage you have on the crank as you try to turn it. i personally can turn the crank using a socket wrench on the belt pulley bolt. that socket wrench is about a foot long. less leverage than that and I might not have the strength. a six inch socket wrench would require twice as much force to achieve the same torque as per the formula Torque = Force X Radius (length of lever). I strength train at the gym 3 times a week.

[MR2Jedi]

If the head is off, the crankshaft should be easy to turn with main and rod bolts properly torqued.

[bumperbozo]

even if just the timing belt and spark plugs are out it should turn as easily as MR2Jedi says, i would imagine

[MR2Jedi]

Originally Posted by bumperbozo

even if just the timing belt and spark plugs are out it should turn as easily as MR2Jedi says, i would imagine

Definitely.
Did you use any type of assembly lube? Did you make sure the rod caps and bolts went back to the same rods?
Just trying to nail down the problem by process of illimination.

[Celica5sfe]

I appreciate your time everyone! I figured it out, somehow the caps on pistons 3 and 4 ended up on the wrong connecting rods, so I switched them up (with lube, as I did when I first installed them), torqued everything down, and now it's spinning like a dizzy person. Thanks for your time and efforts!

[MR2Jedi]

Thats great!

[Celica5sfe]

Thank you! Also, I just have to say it, that MR2 looks DELICIOUS! Nice work!

[MR2Jedi]

^ Thanks! Happy motoring!