Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 19,360
Likes: 5,492
From: Rochester, NY
Bikes: Stewart S&S coupled sport tourer, Stewart Sunday light, Stewart Commuting, Stewart Touring, Co Motion Tandem, Stewart 3-Spd, Stewart Track, Fuji Finest, Mongoose Tomac ATB, GT Bravado ATB, JCP Folder, Stewart 650B ATB
Well the common (if any Phil product can be described as common) Phil BB doesn't even contact the BB shell faces. So facing the shell will have no effect.
First thing I would ask is who serviced it and what was done. It is fairly common to get a bit of bearing compression when tightening up a BB unit. We have pulled really worn out/rough ones and then have the in shell to feel far nicer out of the shell.
One scenario I can think of is that the bearing cartridges are not completely/properly positioned on the spindle and within the outer barrel/sleeve. With pressure from the installation rings the bearings shift slightly WRT the inner and outer races.
I look forward to learning what's really happening. Andy