What should I do?

[Tony71502]

So the block I'm about to use...

It was rebuilt about a year ago and has been sitting since. We go to crank it over with a wrench, after lubing the cylinder walls, and it's tough as a mo fo.

It got a bit easier after about one rotation with some oiling...

Is this a sign that the unused engine needs new bearings? Or does it just mean that due to sitting so long the engine is just not lubricated?

Should I try to get some oil on the mains and wrist pins and try rotating it with a wrench? Or should I replace the main bearings?

Thanks.

[Rodeheaver's]

if it is all new, the break in lube on the bearings in good stuff (they should have used some) it is made to cling to parts and "soak" into them. If you have any kind or rust on the cyl walls it will be super tight to turn over, If there is to much rust on the walls you will need to disassemble it and rehone the cylinders..

[White5.0]

you might as well take it apart and look at it while its out of a car. that way you can check everything on it and put some assembly lube on the bearings and such

[Tony71502]

All the bearings got assembly lube and there is no surface rust on the cylinder walls. We're going to pull the oil pan off tonight and maybe some mains and connecting rod caps.

[Tony71502]

So, prior to priming the oil pump and oiling the block with it... it was nearly impossible to turn the rotating assembly. After oiling it it takes about 80 lb ft of torque of initially start spinning the rotating assembly, then once it starts moving it takes about 65 lb ft of torque to rotate it.

Is this normal? Or is something wrong?

[White5.0]

is this just the shortblock you are trying to rotate and its taking 80 ft lbs???

or

is is the longblock with heads and valvetrain also on?

if its the whole longblock, i *think* 80ftlbs to rotate it is fine. better wait to hear from some other people though cause im not 100% sure..

[Tony71502]

It's the short block. It just takes that much to get it moving, then it takes about 60 to spin it.

[90TitaniumStang]

was it hard to turn over when you first got it?
they may have set the bearing clearance a little to tight should be no for than .0025 or 2.5 thousandth of an inch

[Tony71502]

The motor has been sitting for a year... when it was built it took about 30 lb ft to spin it. After sitting it's a bit stiffer. Everything was redone except for wrist pins. The piston heads were not taken off of the pistons.