In a message dated 7/3/03 10:52:45 PM, bungeegull@HOTMAIL.COM writes:

<< Also, crankshaft endplay *seemed* excessive  >>

Sam, my man, unless you work with this type of thing everyday, you can easily
be fooled.  In my experience, I always eyeball slop to be far greater than it
measures.  What I think to be 10 to 15 thous turns out to be 5 once it is
gauged.

On the other hand, if the eye is well practiced at such things, it can be
uncannily accurate.  Once, I was helping a friend, a machinist of some
experience, dial in the steering head bearings on his bike.  After setting the preload
we had to measure for a shim.  When, I started to go into the shop for a set of
feeler gauges he said not to bother, we needed a .007" shim washer.  Of
course I couldn't leave it at that and I got the feelers.  It was .007" right on
the nuts.  I asked him what was the trick to be able to judge a fit so well.  He
said it is really simple; just do it about 50,000 times and you'll get very
good at it.

George