I hear by changing the rod bolts the LT1 will live alot longer at high RPMs, now my question is can this be done with the motor still in the car? Seems like you could just pull the oil pan etc and change them while still in the car by looking at my extra short block at home.
Has anyone done this or do you have to pull apart the entire motor???
If you can? Id like to do it on my current set up, if not ill just wait for my stroker motor to be done.
Thanks

 

ive heard of people doing it before in the car but i havent heard of changing bolts on the lt1 and making it more stout

 

Well I hear the factory bolts stretch out at high RPMs causing the rods to let go alot sooner

 

Ya i have heard that the rod bolts are one of the weakpoints in higher rpm's also. It would be real nice to do this and go ahead and throw in some new crank and rod bearings while you're in there!

 

Someone just told me It cant be done in the car. Says they need to be pressed out and back in and the rods also need to be resized. Anyone wanna dispute that?? I hope it can be done since Im not gonna pull the motor untill I install the stroker. But would love to change the bolts since Im already spinning it to 6700-6800 rpms

 

I replyed on LTX Tech.



Nick

 

Thanks! I hope your not right! LOL!

 

They do need to be pressed in. As far as taking them out, ive always took a old nut and put on the end and tapped them out with a hammer. And most of the time they do need to be reconditioned when putting in new rod bolts. They normally close the clearance up on the sides where the bolts go through from the press fit. But i have put them in and the rods check fairly round afterwards. Its your call. Good luck.

 

Using a high quality rod bolt like ARP will make ANY rod with stand more abuse than with the stock bolts not just LT1's. Theoretically you are "suppose" to have the big end resized due to the additional clamping force but if your bearing look good I would say go for it if it can be done in the car. If you had a lot of play, rod knock or spun a bearing of course you would definetly have to have the big ends resized.

 

My motor is like brand new and only 30k on it with a perfect maintenance record(oil changes every 3000 or 3 months no matter what) . It was drivin by an old man since new untill I bought it back in July

 

This is correct.

 

They also say NOT to use a hammer to get them out and that they should be pressed out.

How would you even get to them? Doesn't the K member limit even removal of the oil pan!?

 

Yes but you could drop the k-member with the engine hoisted up. I just dont want to dissasemble the entire motor to change a few bolts. This is a pic of the bottom of the motor and just by looking you would think it could be done. Now the pressing and resizing is the problem.
it looks so easy

 

how many miles is on that engine? looks clean

 

20k I picked it up to build my stroker last thurs. Came out of a wrecked 97 TA

 

Do a search, we just had a discussion about this a few days ago. You can do it if you want, but your bearings might not last long

 

LOL! That would defeat the purpose then! Damn where was I during that disscusion.lol

 

Yeah I asked this question a few days ago. Since the motor I want to do it to isn't in the car I'm not gonna risk it. I'm gonna do new rods with new bolts.

Here's the link to my post
https://ls1tech.com/forums/lt1-lt4-m...t-install.html