First time rebuilding a 6cyl motor, though I've done many small engines. Just wondering how easy/hard it should be to spin the crank after bearing R&R. They're all the right size, just worried my starter won't have enough torque to spin it. Just don't want to have to pull the motor again. Thanks.

on any rebuild you should be able to spin a properly lubricated rotating assembly by hand.

Thats what I thought. But was told it would be harder to rotate than you'd think. May tear it apart again :confused:

This is totally dependant on wether or not everything is back to together and the spark plugs are back in for example. If the plugs are in theres no way you are going to turn a correctly built motor over by hand. Maybe with a long wrench or ratchet. Without the plugs in, yeah if i remember correctly i was turning the crank over with pistons in it with just my bare hands.

If you can't turn the motor over with a long ratchet (full assembled) I think u have some issues and need to go back over what u did.

Even w/the plugs out it's hard to turn w/a breaker bar. Must've got some incorrect size bearings.

When doing your assembly, it is a good practice to rotate after installing the mains and then each piston/rod assy. If it suddenly gets really hard to turn you stop and take apart the last thing and see what's up. The crank by itself should be super easy to turn by hand with bearings torqued and lubed. With pistons/rods (no spark plugs) you should be able to turn it fairly easy with a long ratchet.
Travis..

Pulled the oil pan today & loosened all the main bearing caps. Now I can spin the crank w/a long ratchet. If this is a standard crank, & the bearings are all standard, everythings lubed & torqued properly, how is it too tight? :confused:

Were all your caps on the right way?

Was your crank ever checked for roundness?

Were the bearing checked at a performance shop if you got them there?

have you checked the oil clearance between the main bearings and the crank?

if not and you dont have internal and external micrometers you can use plastigauge which you should be able to get at any parts store

Yes the caps were all on correctly(all marked beforehand). Was a dipshit & didn't check the crank journals properly. Didn't plastigage w/the old bearings as, once again I was a dipshit. The engine was fine, just doing a quick rebuild before throwing it in. That's what I get for trying to be quick. If my new bearings are too tight, how will I be able to plastigage the clearances (or lack of)?