After looking through the 68 Pontiac service manual, in the V8 section, I noticed that in the procedure to hang the rods on the pistons it says to position the oil squirt holes toward the camshaft. In other words, up. The machine shop installed them the opposite way. The holes are pointing down and away from the cam.

Before I started to assemble the bottom end, and not knowing what this hole was for, I remember looking at this area of the rods. I really don't see how any oil could get to this hole unless there was a hole in the bearing too.

My question is will this cause problems with cam or piston lubrication?

Thanks!

Larry

I'd have to go look at a rod in the garage but there's one direction to mount the rods particular to the forward edge of the piston and the offset of the bearing when mounted in the crank end of the rod with a relation to the radius of the crank journal. Pretty clear huh?

Firebob's correct.
Gon'a have to R&I pistons.

Thanks guys. As I was installing the rings, (before I discovered this problem), I noticed that one rod was installed backwards compared to the others. So, I started looking at the configuration of the rods and didn't notice anything about them being asymmetrical like Chevy rods, or an offset bearing, that would require them to be installed in any particular way. The rods laid up flush against the crank, with no binding and good side clearance readings. The rods were fairly centered on the pins. But, I still had the machine shop turn that one rod around.

I thought all was OK until I read about the squirt holes. Then, I did read something similar to what you are saying about the bearing.

Robert, if you could look at that rod, I would appreciate it!

New bearings don't have squirt holes in them so they are non effective. The big end of the rod has a chamfer on one side and not on the other. The chamfered side goes toward the fillet radius of the crank's rod journal, the flat side goes towards the adjacent/mating rod. The arrow or mark on the top of the piston, if there is one, goes toward the front of the engine with the rod facing the correct way. rods 2,4,6 and 8 have the chamfer facing the front and 1,3,5 and 7 have the chamfer facing the rear of the engine.

I've also been reading about the chamfer on the rod needing to be on the crank side. I do remember looking at this area before I assembled the bottom end and the rods I looked at all had varying amounts of chamfer on both sides, actually little to almost none. Nothing that would make it obvious on how it should be installed.

There is no binding and all the side clearances are within limits. The rods are right up against each crank throw. So, in this regard, it doesn't seem to be affecting the assembly. However, I still don't like it.

I think I know what my decision is. Dam it!!!!!!!! At least, I need to go back inside to look at them again.

Just read your post again. The machine shop turned one rod 180 degrees? If so was the chamfer facing the wrong way before or is it the wrong way now. I don't pretend to be and expert on anything and don't make it a habit of telling people what to do, but if that was my engine I'd pull the rods off and make sure the chamfer is facing the correct way and the pistons are hung on the rods correctly.
FGF member Medhat68 has a piece on his website "Alberta Firebird Homepage" about the correct alignment. I'd advise you to read that, it's good info. And he's got a lot of great pics of his build.

I put a small mark with a permanent marker on the side of the rod that had the chamfer and after I had the thing all together I checked one last time to ensure the rods were all facing the correct way. I had no mark on the piston tops but only two valve reliefs so I put all the pistons on with the chamfer facing one way and long as the reliefs were correct the chamfers were as well.
I just went out to the garage and looked at one of my 428 stock rods and the chamfer isn't as pronounced as the forged rods but still there. I think you'll notice it more with the bearings in.
Sorry I don't know how to attach a website but try to get Kelly's Alberta firebird homepage. He explains it with photos.

Thanks Bluebird. I found Kelly's site and Lupdiesel's post on the correct rod installation. They both talk of the bearing offset and rod chamfer and their relation to the crank radius.

Now, I need to tear it apart to see why mine apparently is unaffected by this misinstallation. If mine is truly backwards it sure is turning freely. I found no indication of a problem during installation and clearance checks. Maybe my radius is smaller than typical.

BTW, I looked at pics of the previous build and it clearly shows the rods turned around from the way the are now.

Larry,

Wish you would seen my post before you installed the rods. I posted to help someone like you. Hope everything is ok...

Guys, I'd like apologize to you as this was all a false alarm. After I removed the oil pan, it was plain to see that the rods were indeed installed correctly!

It was just too hard to see the squirt holes though the top of the engine. After I looked again, I could just barely see them. Turning the crank might have helped position the rods a little better too. They just weren't very apparent before.

Now I know why I didn't have any indication of problems when I was assembling the bottom end.

Thanks for all your help! Back on track!

Larry