Okay, I just got my F-head 161 finished and ran it on an engine stand (thank goodness). It started and ran after a balky attempt or two. A total of about 3 minutes (three starts due to stopping oil leaks) Anyway, at about three minutes it sounded a little different and started knocking, evidently from the bottom end and seemed to be coming from the front of the engine. I shut it off right away. I did have one cylinder (#2) that was not firing due to a loose plug wire. Since then, I've taken it apart and other than end play on the #2 rod on the crank end(.013 instead of a max of .009)I haven't been able to find anything wrong. Bearings all look good, clearance was right on target when I put it together. The first assembly was 40 over, new rings, reground crank, 10/10 crank and rod bearings, reground cam and new bearing. Plastigaged main and rod clearances. Piston to cylinder clearance was correct. Ring end gap checked and corrected to spec.
Edit to say..Oil pressure was 40lbs while running and 20 at idle, and everything inside seems awash in super slippery Brad Penn oil. Carefully drained and let the oil run through very fine paint filters (it's all I had handy) and nothing of interest was in the filters.
So, got any suggestions? or would the generous end play on the rod sound like that?

Thanks:
Paul

Last edited by Xerxes; 02/07/14 09:12 PM.