Rod orientation in block?

[ferreed]

Folks,I'm in the middle of assembly on my wife's 1990 240sx's engine (bone-stock KA24E). I marked the parts when I removed them, but I keep second guessing myself on rod orientation in the block. On one side of the connecting rods there is a series of numbers in raised relief. The other side is bare. I have the rods oriented such that the numbering is facing back towards the rear main seal and the bare side is facing the front of the engine. Can anyone confirm for me that this is correct? I'll sleep a lot better.

Thanks!

[deviousKA]

On the rod cap you will notice a little raised "nipple" in the forging (for lack of a more appropriate word) this faces the front of the block. Be sure that you also assemble the rod/piston so that the dot on the piston (front indicator) is pointing to front as well.

btw: you will see the same "nipple" shape on the rod that points to front, both the cap and rod have it.

[ferreed]

Devious,You, sir, are a veritable fount of knowledge. Thank you.

(And, yeah, I did install the pistons facing the proper direction. How am I certain? Because I obsessed over that, too. )

Have a great weekend.

[toptechracing]

To go along with this. The rod numbers 1-4 should face the drivers side of the block when the Dot on the piston top is facing forward.

[deviousKA]

Thanks, Im glad to help. Have a great weekend yourself!

[deviousKA]

Mistake, I assemble to many engines to give correct information early in the morning. KA's do not have the "nipple" i spoke of, be sure that the piston oiler that is in the side of the rod (small step and passage) is on the oil filter side of the block.

If you went and looked for what i spoke of before you probably started to worry, haha.

feel free to flame.

[ferreed]

LOL, Devious-- no flaming necessary.

I did get a little confused when I looked, but that didn't bother me. It's my natural state of being, after all. I checked also what TopTech said and found that #1 was inverted such that the rod number was stamped into the passenger's side. I went ahead and pulled it from the block, fixed my mistake, and reassembled the mess.

Strangely, this leaves the raised numbers on all four rods facing toward the back of the engine, but only three of the bearing caps in the same orientation. Three (#2, #3, and #4) are read facing them from the front of the engine while #1 is read while facing from the rear. Seems really counterintuitive, but that's how it has to be assembled for all the rod oiler holes to be on the filter side of the block and for the bearing tangs to be on the same side.

Looks like I need to lay down a lot more marks next time.

Thanks again for the help, guys.

[deviousKA]

Strangely, this leaves the raised numbers on all four rods facing toward the back of the engine, but only three of the bearing caps in the same orientation. Three (#2, #3, and #4) are read facing them from the front of the engine while #1 is read while facing from the rear. Seems really counterintuitive, but that's how it has to be assembled for all the rod oiler holes to be on the filter side of the block and for the bearing tangs to be on the same side.

Thats common