I just got my b18a back from the machine shop (unassembled) and was told to be sure to install the crank plugs before putting the bottom end back together. Anyone know what they're referring to?
The person I talked to at the shop seemed to think that there were some oil plugs in the crank, similar to pipe plugs, that needed to be installed...

 

up for knowledge. Helms has no insight for me. maybe these guys are confused?

 

I'm guessing he's talking about the freeze plugs.

 

possibly reffering to dowel pins for main caps??

 

The way the machine shop guy put it made it sound like something on the crank itself, but that doesn't make sense to me. Are there extra plugged oil holes that get opened when the crank is ground? The main caps are bolted to the block. Maybe freeze plugs...
Thanks for the input guys. Any other thoughts?

 

maybe this?


Because b series dont have freeze plugs..they have those big *** bolts

 

That might be it. What are those holes, and what needs to be done before assembly?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mmuller &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Because b series dont have freeze plugs..they have those big *** bolts</TD></TR></TABLE>

That's what I meant, didn't know what the hell to call them.

 

How are these normally plugged? It was suggested that I tap the holes and use a threaded plug. Any problems with this approach?

 

The oil holes are drilled all the way through and then pluged on the end. Usually there is a little ball bearing and the crank is staked in three places around it so they dont fall out. If those are out, an Im not sure why a machine shop would remove them, then I would say tapping and plugging those hole is the best thing to do.

 

Not many people go thru the work of removing these,but it is the right thing to do.You can't completely clean the passages with out removing them and grit can hide in the dead end pocket.As the engine runs this crap can get free and ruin the crank and bearings.With these plugs removed you can brush out these passages and then replug them.
Glenn

 

why would you replug them with the same things? you tap the holes and put a removable plug in so you can do this with ease each rebuild instead of doing it the hard way. This is not something that most any people do but do it right or don't do it at all.

 

it sounds like the machine shop is doing things the right way. i will take a look today and see what i can do about plugging the holes. are these plugs specialty items, or hardware store pieces? i imagine they're pretty small.