345 piston pin installation

[IHCScout78]

Hi,

when the piston pin is pressed in, should the connecting rod be centered on the pin?

When I took apart my IH 345, the connecting rods were not centered on the piston pins. They were all off set to one side, or alternating off set in installed position (even on one side; odd on the other).

This does not seem right to me, and the service manual only indicates to install the spacer between the piston and and connecting rod and press the pin until it bottoms on the installation support. There is no clear statement of "centered".

The machinist who is pressing in the piston pins for new pistons believes the engine was assembled incorrectly, and that the connecting rods should be centered on the pins.

Thanks.

 

[Greg R]

It is as you have read it. The spacer locates the rod on the pin. Remember any two opposite cylinders share a journal, and your book also very clearly points out rod orientation to the piston so a rod's chamfer side always faces a crank journal's fillet. I never measured a spacer, but any good shop knows what to use.