Can anyone think of a good reason it wouldn't be possible to control the fore/aft thrust on a stovebolt crankshaft with a brass or bronze washer permanently installed on both sides of the #3 main bearing cap instead of the conventional flanged main bearing that's usually used in that position? I've worked on various other engines that use separate thrust washers from the main bearings that fit into machined grooves in the engine block and/or bearing cap. That system is pretty common on British sports car engines from the 1950's and 60's, and also some pretty heavy duty industrial and farm equipment engines. I've acquired some 4" outside diameter brass washers that could be cut in half and fitted to both sides of the #3 main bearing cap with flat headed brass machine screws, and then ground or machined for the correct width to keep the crankshaft in its normal fore/aft position in relation to the engine block and timing gears. If necessary, an upper thrust washer could also be attached to the block the same way, after some machining with a line bore tool, but I believe a wide enough thrust face on the main bearing cap alone should be sufficient. This modification will be part of my project to retrofit a stovebolt engine to big block Chevy V8 main bearings. Comments/suggestions,/ laughs/gripes, etc.??????
Jerry
