maxman

I am planning to uprate the LS7 in my Z06 Vette with a Katech Torquer cam, Kooks headers, Corsas withX pipe 100cell cats, ported heads, intake manifold and throttlebody,Killerbee and tune.
I hope that this setup will give about 600bhp at the flywheel.

This level of tune will be fine for my track day outings, but I would also like to be able to run 100-150 shot nitrous as well, for my occasional trips to the strip.

As a matter of course I will be changing the cast pistons for the forged variety - but what to do about the rods?

Were I not planning to use NOS, I know the standard rods would be fine to use with modified small end bushings

I have heard that the standard titanium rods are not really up to the increased workload imposed by the use of gas or FI, however,they are of course very light thus offer all the advantages of reduced reciprocating mass.

I would like to keep them but should I? - reliability is my main concern.

What rods would I use instead?

I would be most grateful for any insight or input you may have to offer

Many thanks

Kingsize

iTrader: (13)

Katech does wonders with the stock LS7 rod, I would call them.

maxman

Thanks for the response!

I know that Katech upgrade the small end bushings and that's it, on the standard titanium rods for the likes of their Street Attack units, but for FI units like the Air Attack they use forged steel rods.

I just wondered what the 'tipping point' was in terms of horsepower, between using the standard titanium rods and aftermarket steel rods

Stang's Bane

iTrader: (22)

I would stick with the Ti rods. They should have no problem handling that small shot. I would call Katech and double check though.

Outlaw1

iTrader: (14)

I don't believe I've seen a failed Ti rod yet. At this point I believe I'm making much more power than you're expecting and I'm having no issues with the stock shortblock. *knock on wood*

maxman

Interesting! - have you changed the pistons?

maxman

Thanks for all your responses - perhaps I'm being overly cautious,but having already lost an engine in standard tune! - I'm rather wary of modifying the standard unit without upgrades!

Katech_Jason

iTrader: (19)

A 100-150 shot might be fine for our standard forged piston and Ti rod, but we prefer to switch to our nitrous piston which is designed for a Callies H beam rod. The tipping point for Ti to steel rods is usually 650-700hp, but we have never actually failed an LS7 rod (root cause). We just don't want to be the ones to find out. I'm NOT saying a Ti rod is only good to 700hp. We just don't know.

Dark Shadow

if you want to stay light go billet aluminum they will cost alot though.

Grimes

iTrader: (3)

Yeah, but the aluminum rods have to be replaced after a certain amount of time too, because they fatigue.