con rod install

[crawlspace2112]

after a case split, 2nd gear fix, replace hy vo and cam chain, new rings, hone, valve job and cam grind i'm finally ready to put the motor back together but stupid me i forgot which way the rods go on the crank. does the tick mark on the cap go towards #1(ignition side)? this makes the most sense to me. i downloaded the manual but could not find any indication of directional install procedure for rods. does it even matter? they don't look even on both sides. this is why it's important to write things down, now i must wait until i know for sure please help.

[Ken Talbot]

The only thing I can see in any of that manuals I have "is a special thrust bearing (insert) located in the No 4 main bearing housing in the upper crankcase."

[crawlspace2112]

yeah the shouldered bearing for thrust. i know that one. cost me $30 for that half of the bearing and $15 for the other half. i think i figured it out, my crank had some nicks in it from the factory so i looked at the wear patterns on the old bearings and it turns out that the little tit that is on the side of the rod caps points to the left side of the motor (ignition side). now i have the short block assembled!

[xssiveone]

The mark on the top of the piston goes towards the front of the engine, and on the crank end of the rod, there should be some numbers stamped on it. The only pic in the factory manual that I could find shows the numbered sides on both the rod and the cap together. I can't find any reference to marks on the rod bearing caps at all.

[crawlspace2112]

yeah you wouldn't be able to see the tit in a picture it's on one side of the con rod and you would have to take the rods off the crank to really see what i'm talking about. these rods don't look like they have any offset but how do you see a couple thousanths on that large of a piece. i just went by the old bearings to tell which way the rods went on. the wear marks give it away. good thing i numbered the old bearings the tit goes to the ignition side of the crank (left).