Rod prep for 2.5 Mercurys

[Jay Smith]

Might help out,

Just did a set of 41's today going to Australia. I first chase the threads then in a vat of cleaning solution brush the 4 cracked cap surfaces with a Stainless brush. Next I put the rod in a soft jawed vice and align the caps and SLOWLY start crack capping them up , I end up at about 15 lbs of torque and feel for a perfect ID fit at the cracks. I will repeat this if I can't get a perfect fit another time. If there is a feelable edge at the crack cap area I chunk them OR make towel racks out of them.I find if you have 12 rods that have been ran at least 1-2 will not be usable no matter what you do as they are egged....

If they DO crack cap up I ball hone both the small and the large end. You want the needle bearing to ROLL on a finished surface NOT slide on one slick as chrome , after too many rounds of sliding on too slick as surface the needle will become flat...

This method has worked for me for 10+ years doing 2-3 motors and 1-2 sets of just rods for folks a week...

Jay