Haha, turn it on the starter... The starter smokes after about a minute of turning it. And yes, the starter does have the right distance from the flexplate and no, the starter isn't the problem. This starter will easily start my other motor, and the starter in my motor won't turn this b**ch either. The Crate engines do have a warranty, but only if you have them hooked up by a certified Chevy dealer. That is not an option here in Germany, they charge so much I could buy a second engine (about 2-3000 bucks). We thoroughly spraid the cylinders with oil last week and spun about three times to distribute it a bit, maybe the oil has seeped past the rings by now... We'll try again this afternoon and I'll come back with news.
BTW, we measured the torque by ataching a standard torque wrench to the balancer bolt. We've got a set of tools to take out the bolt if it breaks
THX for your ideas,
Max