Material of stock connecting rods?
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 167
From: Winthrop Harbor
Material of stock connecting rods?
I got some 94' rods that I'm going to get reconditioned along with a block. Just wondering what type of metal are these rods made of? Also, I know that in 95' gm used some stronger rods, what material were those made of?
thanx
thanx
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From: Hell was full so they sent me to NJ
From the often referenced "Rebuilding the LT1" article:
RODS
350 - The original LT1 came with regular forged 350 rods, that were shot peened for localized hardness under the head of the bolt and nut. Powdered metal rods were phased in for the Corvette around 1994 and used in all of the LT1 engines by 1995. GM made the change because the powdered metal rods were cheaper to make and were much stronger than the GM high performance "pink" rods. In fact, they are supposed to be good for up to 450 hp. They are machined at the parting line so they can be reconditioned.
350 - The original LT1 came with regular forged 350 rods, that were shot peened for localized hardness under the head of the bolt and nut. Powdered metal rods were phased in for the Corvette around 1994 and used in all of the LT1 engines by 1995. GM made the change because the powdered metal rods were cheaper to make and were much stronger than the GM high performance "pink" rods. In fact, they are supposed to be good for up to 450 hp. They are machined at the parting line so they can be reconditioned.
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From: Buffalo, New York
Re: Material of stock connecting rods?
Originally posted by Phatcaprice
I got some 94' rods that I'm going to get reconditioned along with a block. Just wondering what type of metal are these rods made of? Also, I know that in 95' gm used some stronger rods, what material were those made of?
thanx
I got some 94' rods that I'm going to get reconditioned along with a block. Just wondering what type of metal are these rods made of? Also, I know that in 95' gm used some stronger rods, what material were those made of?
thanx
Anyway, given the cost of a set of NEW PM rods (<$300) or a set of decent aftermarket rods (Eagle SIR ~$220, Eagle H-beam ~$400) is it worth having a set of stock rods reconditioned? I like to recycle, being a green kind of guy. But I am not so sure that recondtioning your old rods makes a lot of sense.
Rich Krause
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 167
From: Winthrop Harbor
Thanks rskrause. I've been toying with the idea of getting some scat h-beams, considering the price, it's looks like a good deal. I got a buddy that had stock rods done and are holding up. Now I question, what is the price of redoing the stock rods? If it's close the the price new h-beams, i'll just go that route instead.
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Joined: Dec 1969
Posts: 10,745
From: Buffalo, New York
Originally posted by Phatcaprice
Thanks rskrause. I've been toying with the idea of getting some scat h-beams, considering the price, it's looks like a good deal. I got a buddy that had stock rods done and are holding up. Now I question, what is the price of redoing the stock rods? If it's close the the price new h-beams, i'll just go that route instead.
Thanks rskrause. I've been toying with the idea of getting some scat h-beams, considering the price, it's looks like a good deal. I got a buddy that had stock rods done and are holding up. Now I question, what is the price of redoing the stock rods? If it's close the the price new h-beams, i'll just go that route instead.
clean
visual inspection
magnaflux
check for twist and size
hone as needed
install new rod bolts
This is going to cost in the range of $20-25 per rod plus the cost of the bolts, ~$40-45 for a set of ARP bolts. So, figure ~$200 to recondition the stockers. I would pay that much to recondition a set of really good rods, but not stockers. Just IMHO.
Of course, your budget plays into it as well.
Rich Krause
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Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 3,505
From: looking for a flow bench so Brook and I can race
Originally posted by rskrause
Well, it depends who does them and what they do. A big part of the cost is new rod bolts, and of course a set of new rods will have them, so it partially washes out. It just doesn't make sense to me to spend what it costs to completely inspect and recondition a set of stockers. Here's what a complete job would be.
clean
visual inspection
magnaflux
check for twist and size
hone as needed
install new rod bolts
This is going to cost in the range of $20-25 per rod plus the cost of the bolts, ~$40-45 for a set of ARP bolts. So, figure ~$200 to recondition the stockers. I would pay that much to recondition a set of really good rods, but not stockers. Just IMHO.
Of course, your budget plays into it as well.
Rich Krause
Well, it depends who does them and what they do. A big part of the cost is new rod bolts, and of course a set of new rods will have them, so it partially washes out. It just doesn't make sense to me to spend what it costs to completely inspect and recondition a set of stockers. Here's what a complete job would be.
clean
visual inspection
magnaflux
check for twist and size
hone as needed
install new rod bolts
This is going to cost in the range of $20-25 per rod plus the cost of the bolts, ~$40-45 for a set of ARP bolts. So, figure ~$200 to recondition the stockers. I would pay that much to recondition a set of really good rods, but not stockers. Just IMHO.
Of course, your budget plays into it as well.
Rich Krause
I found some nice (new) billet steel ones on this site for sale very cheap- cheaper than good rods in summit. The guy needed to dump them, he was going FI and wanted 5.7 rods. I wanted 6.0 rods. match made in heaven
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