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Rod bolt failure or rod failure...

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Old 08-21-2008, 12:42 PM
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Default Rod bolt failure or rod failure...

Company name on the rods I'll leave out. They are a 4340 H-beam, and they use ARP 8740 bolts. I ran through the torque sequence three times.

After inital fire oil pressure fell off a little and developed a tick that was RPM related. Pulled the heads and swapped the lifters and pushrods, tick still existed. After 6000 miles the oil pressure finally went away. After engine removal there are several cracks in the side of the block and hole. The #4 rod failed. Knowing I torqued it as thoroughly as I did I was suprised to see that the threads on one side of the rod itself appear un-effected. Its almost as though it wound itself out.

Could harmonics of the part cause that or a bolt that didn't get correctly heat treated. I have my ideas, but wanted to see if anyone else here has seen a similar issue.
Old 08-21-2008, 03:31 PM
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Never seen anything like that myself. 95 per cent of rods fail from that particular journal losing oil and the rod bearing spinning and then the actual big end of the rod failing after that. If the rod big end is not burned up and it failed it could have been a bolt failure then possibly but even then it is usually an assembly error as these rods that LS1 people are using are almost always 7/16 through-bolts or cap screws which are GIGANTIC overkill for a rod bolt on a small block even at 10K. If oil is lost to a rod though any rod will fail pretty fast. Also look to see which way the bearings are installed etc. for interference with the fillet.
Old 08-21-2008, 03:45 PM
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Originally Posted by racer7088
Never seen anything like that myself. 95 per cent of rods fail from that particular journal losing oil and the rod bearing spinning and then the actual big end of the rod failing after that. If the rod big end is not burned up and it failed it could have been a bolt failure then possibly but even then it is usually an assembly error as these rods that LS1 people are using are almost always 7/16 through-bolts or cap screws which are GIGANTIC overkill for a rod bolt on a small block even at 10K. If oil is lost to a rod though any rod will fail pretty fast. Also look to see which way the bearings are installed etc. for interference with the fillet.
Looking at the rod it saw heat and took the bearing out for sure. I'm just trying to figure what came first. Did the bolt fail or the rod?

I know 100% that all rods were torqued to spec, and then double checked after initial pass.
Old 09-02-2008, 03:57 PM
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Turned out to be a failure in the heat treat of the rod itself.
Old 09-02-2008, 05:03 PM
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Originally Posted by DRCE
Turned out to be a failure in the heat treat of the rod itself.
Just curious how you found that out? And any pics?
Old 09-02-2008, 05:43 PM
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Did they replace the entire engine?




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