I am in the process of reassembling a D600 engine that I took apart several years ago. I need a little help.

1) Needle bearings: I packed each race with synthetic grease to hold the needles as I put them back in. Is the grease too thick - will it cause the needles to slide rather than roll until the grease gets washed out? In general, what do you recommend for assembly lube?

2) The race pressed into the wrist-pin end of the connecting rod is not pressed in all the way. It sticks out of the lower side of the rod about 1/16 inch (by "lower", I mean the side of the rod opposite the side marked "upper"). Is the intentional or do I need to press it back in? If so, any recommendation on how to assure that it stays put? I posted two pictures of the rod in the photos section of Garden Web within Tractors and Lawn Equipment.

Thanks