View Poll Results: Have you had problems with your stock rod bolts?
I spin my '99 or older LS1 to 6400+ on stock rod bolts
50
39.37%
I used to spin my '99 or older LS1 to 6400+ on stock rod bolts, until a rod bolt let go
4
3.15%
I spin my '00+ LS1/LS6 to 6400+ on stock rod bolts.
71
55.91%
I used to spin my 00+ LS1/LS6 to 6400+ on stock rod bolts, until a rod bolt let go
2
1.57%
Voters: 127. You may not vote on this poll
Poll: Who's had stock rod bolts fail
#21
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Location: Tuscaloosa, AL.
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I CAN'T BELIEVE people are just slapping rod bolts in the stock rods without resizing the big end of the rods....No way that sh*t is gonna keep the bearing clearances right... Not to mention the balance of the rod.
My car is a 99 with the stock bottom end(incl. rod bolts) and the limiter is set at 6800rpm, I shift it at 6500-6600 spraying a 150 shot and never had a problem. Not saying that it won't blow tomorrow....but I am not gonna create a problem until there is one. My car has 38k miles, gets full synthetic changed every 2000-2500 miles...
IMOP, you are asking for more trouble just slapping bolts in the stock rods without pulling them and resizing....
My car is a 99 with the stock bottom end(incl. rod bolts) and the limiter is set at 6800rpm, I shift it at 6500-6600 spraying a 150 shot and never had a problem. Not saying that it won't blow tomorrow....but I am not gonna create a problem until there is one. My car has 38k miles, gets full synthetic changed every 2000-2500 miles...
IMOP, you are asking for more trouble just slapping bolts in the stock rods without pulling them and resizing....
#23
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we decided not to chance it. i installed ARP rod bolts in corvette when we did H/C swap. easier to do then. it has several dragstrip passes and been daily driven all summer this year. so far so good.
#24
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Weight shouldn't matter too much as long as each bolt is replaced and they are uniform right? Oh well, mine have lasted for 5000 miles so i guess i will just keep rolling the dice.
#26
A bolt failed my 02 z28 before i got it. It was cam only with only 24K miles. I got it minus shortblock.
I spin my '00 z28 up to 65-6600 without a problem at 90k miles though.
I spin my '00 z28 up to 65-6600 without a problem at 90k miles though.
#27
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I just recently swapped them out with arp pro's. I used to spin here to 6700 on the stockers, lots of passes. I ordered bolts because everyone said 00's had weak bolts, and after I went through all the trouble of dropping the K, and dropping the pan, it turns out my STOCK 00, had 01+ rod bolts. I replaced them anyway, and no trouble yet. Just sucks that I bought the damn bolts, and started the process. Had I known it had 01+ ones, I would not have done it.
#33
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I spun 2 rod bearings after 40k miles of H/C abuse. Rev limiter was always set on 7k and shifted at 6800. I'm sure it wasn't caused by low oil like someone speculated previously, but rather just stretching the stock bolts from too much RPM. It doesn't take much rod cap movement to change your bearing clearance to the point where it could start to wipe the bearings. If I had to do it again, I would still leave the stock bolts. Re torquing the bolts will could change your bearing clearances, especially with using bolts with different clamping characteristics.
#34
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i bought my car stock 3 years ago with 74k on it, early this year i put a cam, springs and oil pump in with 99K. shifting at 6500 (was shifting at 6100 pre cam) its got 101k on it now its not my dd so when i do drive it it get beeten, planing to add a 100-150 shot here soon
#36
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I CAN'T BELIEVE people are just slapping rod bolts in the stock rods without resizing the big end of the rods....No way that sh*t is gonna keep the bearing clearances right... Not to mention the balance of the rod.
IMOP, you are asking for more trouble just slapping bolts in the stock rods without pulling them and resizing....
IMOP, you are asking for more trouble just slapping bolts in the stock rods without pulling them and resizing....
#38
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Who is going to have a stock rod resized?? I'm not 100% sure, the way to do it? The broken cap I think you have to bore the big end size lager, and run a OS bearing. Cutting material off the big end is deffintaly gona make the rod a lot weaker, maybe worse then just leaving the stock rod bolts in there with the stock sized rod? And some times you press stock pistons off stock rods you damage the piston, and somtimes the rod even bends a little. There a bitch to get off. So now in the end you have a "correctly" resized, but still a stock rod. With a bunch of money and time into it.
But you could have gotten a full set, of NEW scat 6.100/.645 Ibeam forged rod for $249 With the better ARP bolts all machined, and sized ready to go. Your going to have more than that into your stock rods.
I've swaped ARPs in stock motors and there were fine. Even had a machine shop check the rods after one melted some pistons. And there were all fine, but one big end was qestionable, very small like 5 tens out of round I think. But the rod bearings were all mint with no wear at all.
I think some people read into this rod bolt changing to much. Way to many are fine with stock, and arp bolts in stock rods. Just be smart, change your oil more if your gona be spinning 6200+. You dont need SYC really. Just good oil, just keep it clean. I change mine every 1-2K miles in the summer 10-30 GTX from walmart. Wix/napa gold filter. Let the car warm up before you take it over 3K. Warm oil temp, not the stock coolent gauge. This is for the roating assembly, and the stiff valvesprings.
If your car burns oil keep don't let it get low. sorry for the rant
But you could have gotten a full set, of NEW scat 6.100/.645 Ibeam forged rod for $249 With the better ARP bolts all machined, and sized ready to go. Your going to have more than that into your stock rods.
I've swaped ARPs in stock motors and there were fine. Even had a machine shop check the rods after one melted some pistons. And there were all fine, but one big end was qestionable, very small like 5 tens out of round I think. But the rod bearings were all mint with no wear at all.
I think some people read into this rod bolt changing to much. Way to many are fine with stock, and arp bolts in stock rods. Just be smart, change your oil more if your gona be spinning 6200+. You dont need SYC really. Just good oil, just keep it clean. I change mine every 1-2K miles in the summer 10-30 GTX from walmart. Wix/napa gold filter. Let the car warm up before you take it over 3K. Warm oil temp, not the stock coolent gauge. This is for the roating assembly, and the stiff valvesprings.
If your car burns oil keep don't let it get low. sorry for the rant
Last edited by studderin; 10-27-2008 at 06:47 PM.
#40
Teching In
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Here's Katech's text from their site, they say a re-hone/re-size isn't necessary and no mention of a re-balance:
Gen 3 / 4 Rod Bolts Extensive testing by Katech for GM’s LS1 ASA engines showed the production rod bolt to be the weak link in the stock bottom end in the LS1 engines. Our rod bolt is the best you can get and fits production connecting rods without having to re-hone them to size. New for 2008, our connecting rod bolt has been redesigned to include the LS7.
These direct replacement bolts are made from H-11 material for extremely high tensile strength with threads rolled to J-graded specifications. Using the Katech rod bolts will increase your engine's RPM and horsepower potential.
Gen 3 / 4 Rod Bolts Extensive testing by Katech for GM’s LS1 ASA engines showed the production rod bolt to be the weak link in the stock bottom end in the LS1 engines. Our rod bolt is the best you can get and fits production connecting rods without having to re-hone them to size. New for 2008, our connecting rod bolt has been redesigned to include the LS7.
These direct replacement bolts are made from H-11 material for extremely high tensile strength with threads rolled to J-graded specifications. Using the Katech rod bolts will increase your engine's RPM and horsepower potential.