LT1 Looking to build a steel crank, D1sc blower,mild cam, 355, with relatively high compression - may go w/ E85, & 10:1. How much will stock rods take?

 

I see everyone is stealing my idea now...

As to the rods, the stock ones are stronger than they get credit for, but I wouldn't use them in that app.


I think GM claims they are good to 450hp and I would be comfortable using them well past 500 (flywheel), BUT... if you do a blown E85 engine and you do it anywhere even NEAR right, you'll be WTF (Way The F___) past the rods limits.

 

The two stock PM rod failures I've seen documented occured at about 600HP.

Moving to "LT1/LT4 Engine Tech"......

 

Arent the bearings the weak point? How easy would it be to switch to a better set of crank and rod bearings? Then how much could a stock bottom handle?

 

His question is "stock rods".... and bearings aren't going to make the rods stronger.

 

Are cleavite 77 bearings good?

 

How about addding ARP rod bolts. Is it the rod bolt that fails first or the rod itself?

 

I looked into that with my PM rods, by the time you buy rod bolts, pay to have them pressed in and resized, you have enough into them to just buy a new set of aftermarket rods and sell the old ones.

 

Depending on what your machine shop charges, thats just good enough to buy a set of the Eagle econos. They are only rated to 500 and it wouldn't be an upgrade because then its a lil more for the upgraded rodbolts.

I was going to get new rods, but ended up just getting some ARP rodbolts instead since my machine shop just resized the rods for me for free. If I had to pay around 400 to get the work done, then I would have definatley gotten some better rods, just not the Eagle cheapies.

 

Thanks for the feedback!
Any econo recommendations for +- 575hp rods,
ps, how big cc's should head intake ports be on aftermarket heads to flow 575hp on 10psi boost, twin high flow i/c's, 355 lt1? 190,200,210,+
I'm under impression stock or lt4 heads may flex & blow head gaskets.