Timonator

iTrader: (5)

I'm changing the rod bolts on my 74,000 nile engine.I'm a little nervous about it.Could anyone give me some pointers. Thanks

SLO98Z

iTrader: (10)

If it were me, I'd throw in some new rod bearings for the swap. They're cheap. Be careful to not scratch the journals. Slowly, evenly tighten the bolts to final torque. Take your time. Did you go with the Katechs?

SLO98Z

iTrader: (10)

PM me if you need a walkthrough. We can talk on the phone if need be.

Timonator

iTrader: (5)

I went with the ARPs.If I change the rod bearings, which ones?

Hennytime

iTrader: (33)

are there any online guides? im guessing you drop the oil pan and go through there?

Timonator

iTrader: (5)

I know how to change them I'm just worried about any risks involved with changing them.The reson I'm doing it is because the new ones are stronger.Is there anything special I should know?

bjamick

iTrader: (31)

I would like to know a lil bout this myself bc i might decide to do it.

brad8266

iTrader: (23)

If youre just doing the bolts do not take both bolts out of the rod, do one at a time so the cap stays in place tight the entire time. Its a simple swap that way.

98-LS1

iTrader: (4)

How can you get in there to knock the bolts out of the rod? Looks to me like the motor would have to be out to do this.

john563

iTrader: (17)

Just curios,if you had a shop do this what would they charge?How long does this take?(Sorry to hijack,but this can apply to your question as well)

brad8266

iTrader: (23)

Its been done in the car, I personally wouldnt do it though.

SLO98Z

iTrader: (10)

Take the caps off, rip out the bolts or knock them out, add new bearings, lube the **** out of it, put it back together and torque to the recommended spec.

kornfreak_401

iTrader: (77)

if you are in there already i too would highly recommend to swap out the bearings, it is really easy. DONT SCRATCH ANYTHING. federal mougul sells them at a relatively affordable price. MAKE SURE you torque them and THEN add degrees to them. IF YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THIS IS STOP. RESEARCH THIS AND THEN PROCEED. THEY NEED TO BE TORQUED USING DEGREES.

bjamick

iTrader: (31)

hell if im gonna pull the motor out ill end up doing pistons, rods, rod bolts, lifters, and new rings lol and make it a 347 forged. then spray the **** out of it. I think just rod bolts might be a waste of time if you have to pull the motor out to do it. I was gonna do it bc im doing a cam swap soon and ill be turning it to 6600-6700rpm thats why i was thinking of doing it.

Tootall

iTrader: (78)

I've never heard of "adding degrees" to them.

I'm assuming that these are the "cracked rod" design that I just put in.
If you order them online, they come with directions, and the molly lube. If you're already doing this on an existing motor still in the car, it's going to be tough. You're going to remove the oil pan, the pickup tube, and the windage tray. You pull out one bolt at a time, and torque it down once, and loosen, torque, loosen and torque again. This is done a total of three times, on each bolt.

I have never done this in an engine that's already in the car. The bolts will not just "fall out" of the cap. There's ferrells that are on each of the bolts, and those have to come out. These ferrells are spacers, that are pressed on to the stock bolts. They do not need to go back on, but you've gotta yank them out, or hammer them out. If you cannot yank them out, you're going to have to put some vice grips on there and twist it back and forth, and some how "work" them out. You do not want to hammer on anything while you're doing this in the engine. If you end up trying to do this on the the front rods, it's going to be tough.

I replaced mine with the engine out, and upside down. I hammered out the old bolts, lubed up the new ones, and did the loosen and torque, 3 times for each bolt.

Timonator

iTrader: (5)

Thanks for all the advice.The motor is already out of the car on a stand.

cowboysfan

then do it!


fuerzaws6

ls1muscle

iTrader: (16)

You won't have ferrules.

Timonator

iTrader: (5)

I just had the cam bearings replaced by my machine shop.He told me that you cannot use the ARP bolts without resizing the rods.So I guess I'm just gonna leave the bolts & bearings alone for now.I had good oil pressure let's hope it stays that way.

Tootall

iTrader: (78)

That's a load of crap, he or you must have the wrong rod bolts. The stockers come with a sleave on the bolts. They come out when the stockers are banged out. "IF" for whatever reason they do not come out, use a stock rod bolt to bang it out, 99% of the time, they'll come out together.

Again, they will fit, yes the ARPs are bigger, and you DO NOT have to bore out the rods to make the new ARPs fit.