Plastigage rod bearing question

[iTurbo]

I've used Plastigage on a couple motors I've built so far, but I've always had trouble keeping the crankshaft from turning while torquing the rod caps down. How are you guys keeping the crankshaft from turning doing this?

Checking the main bearing oil clearance with Plastigage is easy because tightening the main caps doesn't impart rotational motion on the crank. Since the rod journals are offset, tightening the rod caps causes the crank to want to turn over. I've resorted to using a wooden handle mallet jammed between the crank throws and block, but there has got to be a better way. I'm worried that using a wooden handle jammed in there is skewing my readings with the wood compressing and the crank turning over even a minute amount, smearing the Plastigage and skewing the reading.

[wallace]

You could use a piston stop I would think.

[turismolover22]

If the motor is on a stand you could just drill out a bit of steel or even wood bar, bolt it through the rear crank, and use the jackstands against the wood to keep it steady. If its in the car, like he said, plastic rod stop through the spark plug hole would do ya.

[shackwrrr]

Just use the torque wrench at a 90 degree angle to the crank. seems to work for me. any mechanical method would work too