2.5 NA Connecting Rod Cap Question

Hi LandyZone Team. My name is Ben, new to the Forum. I live and work in Morocco. I am rebuilding an older Defender 90's 2.5 NA, ex-military. Had a hard life racking up 375K on the clock. My question: The connecting rods big end and caps are all marked with numbers 1-4. One cap has where #2 would go has +/ ("plus" on top "dash" on the bottom) on both the connecting rod and cap. Out in the rural areas of Morocco where I am and due to the pandemic I can't get hold of a plastic gauge or a micrometer, so I'm making an assumption the rest are standard size big end connecting rod bearings. NOTE: Main bearings were stamped STD, the big end caps were not marked.. I am wondering if this "+/" cap is a size other then standard? Could it reflect a thicker bearing across the other big end caps? Anybody have any insight? The manual and internet searches have not helped. Yep, I am beyond the bush mechanic stage on this rebuild. A hand full of tools, some ropes and pulley, form-a-gasket, internet and this forum.....just the way the engineers at Land Rover wanted it. I have a source for standard size bearings in Morocco, anything else I'll be waiting until things returning to something like normal. Plus 2.5 NAs are a plentiful here for harvesting used parts, turbos and tdi not so much. Also....if your looking for a good rust free Defender then Morocco is your pearl. Most are under $8K, virtually rust free...all are LHD and need tons of mechanical assistance. Thanks everyone for the great forum.

That +/ is a number 4 with a bit missing off the corner where the stamp was not held fully against the cap. Look a bit closer and you will see it is meant to be 4.

the old shell bearings will have +10 marked on there underside if not standard
when you fit a connecting rod it should not be tight on the crank but move sideways across the crank about 1mm both ways,obviously if its tight or too loose theres something wrong

Wimblowdriver said:

That +/ is a number 4 with a bit missing off the corner where the stamp was not held fully against the cap. Look a bit closer and you will see it is meant to be 4.

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Thank you for that. I though that might be the case. Its just that the #4 cap and connecting rod had a solid # 4 stamped on them. All the best.

jamesmartin said:

the old shell bearings will have +10 marked on there underside if not standard
when you fit a connecting rod it should not be tight on the crank but move sideways across the crank about 1mm both ways,obviously if its tight or too loose theres something wrong

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Thank you James Martin. The old bearings have no markings so I might be in business locating the standard bearings . By the way, I don't have an engine stand but working the engine on a pallet suggestion, I believe you made in another post, is working out perfectly.

Mr. Kairo said:

Thank you for that. I though that might be the case. Its just that the #4 cap and connecting rod had a solid # 4 stamped on them. All the best.

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you sometimes find 2 of one number after one has been replaced