Inliners International Forums General Discussion Engines 261 crankshaft journal caps

I am in the process of assembling my rebuilt 261. The crank and cam are in and when I started to install the journal caps I noticed the middle rear cap that has the thrust bearing is higher on one side. No excuses, but somehow I missed this when disassembling the engine. I am not sure if it matters which side the higher part of the cap is oriented towards but I suspect the cap is lower on one side to accommodate the oil pump pick-up pipes. Incidentally, the engine was harvested from a 1960 Canadian Pontiac. It originally had hydraulic cam and lifters but the rebuild will be changed to mechanical. Any advice will be appreciated.

It can only go on one way correctly, so there isn't any option as to how it installs.

Indeed it can only go one one way. Doesn't the 261 3rd cap have a bolt boss in the top of it for mounting the oil pick-up strainer? The bolt boss goes opposite the cam.

If you send me your email address I can send you a photo of my 59 Canadian 261 bearing cap.

Thanks for the input into my journal cap dilemma. If I had my own "thinking" cap on straight the solution was right in front of me. The cap with the thrust bearing has an "R" clearly cast onto one side of the part. The R is to be oriented towards the back of the motor - duh. Meanwhile, on with the build.