Looking for ideas on what could have caused this.
To make a long story short, I spun a bearing on my 99 F150, 5.4.
I replaced the crankshaft. When I got it back together the engine turned over very hard. So, I pulled the pan back off and started loosening the rod caps until the engine freed up. The second rod back from the front of the engine was binding up. As soon as I loosened it a little, the engine turned like it should.
I did check with plastiguage and the bearing clearance is within tolerance.
The bearings on that rod are showing some rubbing on the front edge of each bearing.
I am suspecting maybe I have a bent connecting rod? The bad bearings were on the next 2 rods back from this one. I have other posts on what happened to cause the bearing problem. Basically a lack of oil flow to the bearings.
The nearest machine shop is a 120+ mile drive, so I won't be taking it in to get it checked any time soon. Maybe next week if I can't get it figured out.

Here are the pictures!

 

The camera flash washed out the pictures a little, but you can see on the left side of the bearings where it rubbed. I did not turn it over enough to gouge into the bearing, but it pretty much ruined the bearing.
Also, I did double check when I took it apart to make sure there was no dirt or debris under the bearing when I assembled it.

 

My having done a lot of motors, you should be able to see what the cause is.
While assembling, you had to turn the crank and should have detected it before putting the pan on.
Bearing half shell with something on the back side to cause a specific area clearance issue when the rod bolts are torqued.
The cause may not be there now after removal.
Does it lock up again if you put the bearing back in place?
Need to know this to be sure.
There should be no mystery about it.
When assembling any engine even if the bores were honed and new rings in place, it should turn freely but accounting for the extra drag.
Your photos are dates 8/13 this is 11/28.
What's this about now?
Good luck.

 

Yes, I should have detected this before putting the pan on. I know better! But got in a hurry........
I checked carefully for any dirt on or under the bearing half when I was pulling it apart. I also cleaned everything and put it back together making certain there was nothing foreign in there, and it still was binding and dragging.
The friction marks are on both bearing halves. The cap half was worse than the rod half.
And the dates on the picture. The photos were taken on 11/27/13. The camera won't keep up with the date. Every time I change batteries it resets the date.
I have rebuilt a lot of motors too, but the last one was in 1992. I started putting the rods on from the rear to the front. By the time I got to the front set, I didn't turn it over enough to notice the binding. Like I said, got in a hurry. The snow was coming in, I needed my 4 wheel drive so I rushed.
It did turn over with a socket, but turned very hard. It required a 1/2 inch breaker bar with a 12 inch cheater pipe. When I loosened this rod cap it turned without the cheater pipe the way it should.

 

Is there anyway you mixed up the caps? Also was that spun too? May have left a bit of bearing backing on the inside if it spun much.

 

No, I kept the caps in order when removed. Also, I checked and re-checked to make sure the cracked caps lined up correctly when installing the caps.
The bearings were not actually "spun". To me a "spun" bearing is when one half slips around to the other half. The bearings stayed in their respective slots. They looked like someone had taken a belt sander to them. I shouldn't have stated they were "spun". The lack of oil overheated them.

 

If you miked that crank journal and it checks out ok, looks like you have to take those two rods in somewhere and get them resized at least. Also, just because a crank is new does not mean it is not out of spec.

 

Problem solved! Turns out when you have someone helping you, be certain to explain in great detail the importance of keeping the correct rod cap on the correct rod!
A friend of mine was over helping. He was cleaning the rod caps and installing the new bearing halves in the caps while I cleaned and put the bearing halves in the rods still in the block. On the last 2 rods we got the 2 caps mixed up.
I looked at that closely as soon as I got the pan off. The way the crank was positioned I could only see half of the front rod. That half of the cap matching break fit tight and looked good. I pulled the head and pulled the piston out of the cylinder that was hung up, took the rod off the piston and brought it in the house to think about what to do. That is when I noticed it didn't quite match up. One side matched good and appeared to fit tight. The other side, which I couldn't see when it was in the block, didn't quite fit tight. So, I switched the caps and It is fine!
Next question, how important is it to replace the rod bolts and head bolts? Typically I have always replaced head bolts when I pull a head, but at $50 a set, is it necessary of just recommended? The rod bolts, I have checked at Oreilly's, car quest and Napa. All 3 stores look at me like I am from outer space when I ask for new rod bolts. They claim they can't get them, and each place says it is not necessary. I am going to check online and see if I can find a new set somewhere. I am just curious if anyone has tried re-using the old bolts and if it worked for them. The nearest Ford dealer for parts is 60 miles away.
Thanks for the information, hopefully now all I have to do is put the head back on, get it back together and back in the pickup.

 

I just knew you would find the problem if dwelled on long enough.
The bolts are 'yield to torque' type as has been used for quite a few years from back in the 80s.
What that means is the bolt actually stretches to a 'tension' length but does not return back to original length.
The next use of the same bolt can only go to a little more than that stretched length so has not the tension of a new bolt.
If old bolt is torqued much past the stretch point the risk is breakage.
You can take a chance on reuse as long as the motor is not wound up like a car engine might be too often otherwise replace them for your own piece of mind.
Breaking a rod bolt has serious consequences but breaking a head bolt can only lose a head gasket.
The parts people can't keep track of every motor and every year.
Just because they seldom ever sell rod bolts, they don't think there is any use to do it.

Good luck.

 

Thanks!
I work this truck hard. I pull a 32 foot RV with it, so it does pull hard sometimes. I think I will make sure I find new rod bolts. It is not worth the dollars saved to have it go apart on me. I have busted rods in my race cars before, there is no going back from there, it is not worth the risk!

 

Torque to yield bolts were used on heads, but I have never heard of them being on the rods. You can change yours if you want, but I would ask around first unless you don't mind spending the $$$$ for no reason. I think their use on something that sees as much abuse as a rotating assembly would be asking for trouble.

 

For information, I am looking at a caution note in a service manual that says the following;
Connecting rod bolts on all engines in this manual are all torque to yield and not reusable.
Pre determined stretch of new bolts gives added strength.
During clearance checks with plastigage old bolts torque to spec can be used for checking.
Good luck.