The stock rods, and Eagle or SCAT entry level stuff are pretty much the same. The MAJOR difference is that the aftermarket rods use cap screws instead of pressed in thru bolts. This alone makes the aftermarket rods a better choice. If you wanted to reuse the stock rods buy a set of ARP bolts for them and have them installed and resized. The most common failure I have seen in LT1's is spun rod bearings.

 

you guys realize theres quite a few people running 600ish HP on stock rods/crank with forced induction? Id say the rods are strong enough for occaisional nitrous

 

The bottom barrel Eagle Rods are Forged , just from 5140 Steel.

The PM rods are forged as well, the PM refers to the metals state before it is melted...he he.

I have seen the PM rods BEND several times from water in the cylender, it didnt break .

The only time I have seen a ROD break is from a foreign piece of metal usually a valve. Rod bolts are the weak link in most factory style rods.

 

So just reuse the PM rods with really good bolts?

 

Yeah really, ..lol

Personally unless I'm over 500 Horse at the crank I wouldnt hesitate to use PM rods that have been checked for cracks and size with some nice wavelock bolts .

 

I've seen two documented cases of stock PM rod failure, both at about the 600 flywheel HP level. One of them is on the para-noid website, with pictures.

 

I'll be pushing about 550 flywheel horsepower on juice. I'm thinking I should be ok with them.

 

arp rod bolts, forged pistons and call it a day

it gets old seeing people dump 1600+ on a rotating assembly just to make 400rwhp

 

What rpm do you think your motor will be turning?

 

No more than 6200. At the very most... 6300 if it doesn't stop making power by then.

 

At that rpm you are probably ok with the pm rods. If you were in the high 6000's I would switch to a forged rod. The stress on the rods gets exponentially higher as the rpm climb.

 

mean green...thanks for asking these questions...i had my questions answered without asking anything, lol

 

Just for general information but I saw a post by John Kaase where he used Scat rods in his EMC motor.