Stock Rods.. How strong?
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Feb 2004
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Stock Rods.. How strong? I'm doing a rebuild on my 96 Z28. I am considering going with Speed Pro forged pistons. They are 610 grams. Is this exceptionally heavy? Also, I am questioning the rods. How strong are they? How much HP will they stand up to? If I do the forged pistons I'll be doing nitrous too and I don't want to go to high and snap a rod, chop the block in half and cry in public... 
Anyways, through me some tips and ideas... I am going to have everything balanced, how many RPM's will the rods hold with these heavy pistons...?
DOES ANYONE NEED RINGS? I HAVE A SET OF MOLY RINGS I CAN"T USE! YOU NEED"EM AND I DON"T >> SELL"EM TO YA CHEAP! My lose your gain.
Anyways, through me some tips and ideas... I am going to have everything balanced, how many RPM's will the rods hold with these heavy pistons...?
DOES ANYONE NEED RINGS? I HAVE A SET OF MOLY RINGS I CAN"T USE! YOU NEED"EM AND I DON"T >> SELL"EM TO YA CHEAP! My lose your gain.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Feb 2004
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Rings are standerd. But don't freak out. Mic your block. I bet its within tolerances. Just get a hone from O'Rielly's rent-a-tool and GO!.... I had 110,000 miles on mine and it still had plenty of wear left. I just found the forged pistons after I bought and opened the rings so I can't take em back. The new pistons use standerd rings so the metrics are out... My lose your gain.
The stock rods are sold as good to 450-500hp depending who is doing the selling and plenty of guys have pushed them past that with stock pistons, BUT for the cost of rebuilding them you could look at something like a Scat i-beam rod.
Originally Posted by jazzz007
I'm doing a rebuild on my 96 Z28. I am considering going with Speed Pro forged pistons. They are 610 grams. Is this exceptionally heavy? Also, I am questioning the rods. How strong are they? How much HP will they stand up to? If I do the forged pistons I'll be doing nitrous too and I don't want to go to high and snap a rod, chop the block in half and cry in public...
Anyways, through me some tips and ideas... I am going to have everything balanced, how many RPM's will the rods hold with these heavy pistons...?
DOES ANYONE NEED RINGS? I HAVE A SET OF MOLY RINGS I CAN"T USE! YOU NEED"EM AND I DON"T >> SELL"EM TO YA CHEAP! My lose your gain.
Anyways, through me some tips and ideas... I am going to have everything balanced, how many RPM's will the rods hold with these heavy pistons...?
DOES ANYONE NEED RINGS? I HAVE A SET OF MOLY RINGS I CAN"T USE! YOU NEED"EM AND I DON"T >> SELL"EM TO YA CHEAP! My lose your gain.
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Originally Posted by jazzz007
well there's an exception to every rule... I have a 96 Camaro Z28 Convertible with a 4 bolt main block and a 6 speed. It's all stock. I guess I got lucky!!!
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Originally Posted by Camaro 0wner
Is an LT1 a 2 or 4 bolt main? I'm curious what mine is. (94 Z28 A4 with the stock 3:23 gear)
most fbodys got the 2 bolt, vettes got the 4 bolt.
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Joined: Mar 2004
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From: Austin, Texas
Originally Posted by jazzz007
I'm doing a rebuild on my 96 Z28. I am considering going with Speed Pro forged pistons. They are 610 grams. Is this exceptionally heavy? Also, I am questioning the rods. How strong are they? How much HP will they stand up to? If I do the forged pistons I'll be doing nitrous too and I don't want to go to high and snap a rod, chop the block in half and cry in public...
Anyways, through me some tips and ideas... I am going to have everything balanced, how many RPM's will the rods hold with these heavy pistons...?
DOES ANYONE NEED RINGS? I HAVE A SET OF MOLY RINGS I CAN"T USE! YOU NEED"EM AND I DON"T >> SELL"EM TO YA CHEAP! My lose your gain.
Anyways, through me some tips and ideas... I am going to have everything balanced, how many RPM's will the rods hold with these heavy pistons...?
DOES ANYONE NEED RINGS? I HAVE A SET OF MOLY RINGS I CAN"T USE! YOU NEED"EM AND I DON"T >> SELL"EM TO YA CHEAP! My lose your gain.
The weight is a bit heavy, but if you go with a lighter piston you'll pay more for them. As far as the stock rods, before spending the money on rebuilding them.
Check out some of the lower priced forged a-beam rods. They are stronger than stock and most come with ARP bolts and they’re brand-new no miles, no wear and tear.
I believe I can get you a set of a-beam forged rods for $269.99. Cheap insurance.
Shoot me an e-mail or pm if I can help. Advice is free. Ask for Harold
Those all concerned with 2 or 4 bolt why are you all worried about it. Bet not a one of you has looked into what a 2 bolt LT1 will hold with factory hardware much less aftermarket studs.
Littleredz in particular IT IS THE SAME FRIGGIN BLOCK just machined for more bolts.
By the time you are actually exeeding the 2 bolts capability anyone who HAS DONE RESEARCH would decide on billet 4 bolt conversion not the factory 4 bolt.
Even on the gen1 blocks there is some debate about the 4-bolt blocks additional machining actually weaking the web the LT1 block does not have that problem just an example of how more bolts does not have to mean stronger but you guys seem to buy right in without even a clue as to the facts.
Littleredz in particular IT IS THE SAME FRIGGIN BLOCK just machined for more bolts.
By the time you are actually exeeding the 2 bolts capability anyone who HAS DONE RESEARCH would decide on billet 4 bolt conversion not the factory 4 bolt.
Even on the gen1 blocks there is some debate about the 4-bolt blocks additional machining actually weaking the web the LT1 block does not have that problem just an example of how more bolts does not have to mean stronger but you guys seem to buy right in without even a clue as to the facts.
Teching In
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For $500ish, you can get a Weisco forged pison kit with rings and and pins from most vendors. And by the time you have your factory rods machined, resized and added ARP boplts, you could have gotten better ones like the Eagle SIR for the same amount of money. Take your time and do it rigt. The two bolt mains will be fine, just go with the ARP stud kit for $50 and add a piece of mind.
If you are having everything balanced, look into line boring the mains to relieve crank stress; it usually runs around $135-$150 for the work. I'm in the proccess of building my short block right now using the Weiscos, Eagle SIRs, and the factory crank. The trick is in find a good machine shop having everything done correctly and bringing your clearances down. Don't skimp on $1000 worth of parts/ work; you'll end up spending twice that on the next rebuild because of catastrophic failure.
If you are having everything balanced, look into line boring the mains to relieve crank stress; it usually runs around $135-$150 for the work. I'm in the proccess of building my short block right now using the Weiscos, Eagle SIRs, and the factory crank. The trick is in find a good machine shop having everything done correctly and bringing your clearances down. Don't skimp on $1000 worth of parts/ work; you'll end up spending twice that on the next rebuild because of catastrophic failure.
Thread Starter
Teching In
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Yeah.. this thread kinda got hijacked. I am familar with 2 vs 4 bolt. If your really serious you do a splayed 4 bolt. Depending on engine... a 350 - 4 bolt is good, 2 bolt is fine with good studs. 1st gen 400 SBC. DO NOT USE A 4 BOLT! you'll regret it. The webbing was machined more to handle the bore and stroke but they went to far and the 4 bolts are weak. Use a 2 bolt for a street build or splayed 4 for serious racing.
As for my setup, Summit has a kit with Pistons, Rings, Bearing, gaskets, oil pump, everything you need for a rebuild for $540. So $500 for the pistons is still a big jump. This is a po' boys hot rod. I didn't really want to do the rebuild but I had a problem. I polished the crank myself and mic'd it and it's in perfect tolerances for a .001 under bearing. If anyone has priced the gaskets they'll understand why the kit is such a great deal. O'Rielly's wanted $310 for JUST gaskets and pump.
I'm trying to get out cheap. Just a balance and bore on the block. Throw it back together and pray.
ANYONE NEED METRIC RINGS?
As for my setup, Summit has a kit with Pistons, Rings, Bearing, gaskets, oil pump, everything you need for a rebuild for $540. So $500 for the pistons is still a big jump. This is a po' boys hot rod. I didn't really want to do the rebuild but I had a problem. I polished the crank myself and mic'd it and it's in perfect tolerances for a .001 under bearing. If anyone has priced the gaskets they'll understand why the kit is such a great deal. O'Rielly's wanted $310 for JUST gaskets and pump.
I'm trying to get out cheap. Just a balance and bore on the block. Throw it back together and pray.
ANYONE NEED METRIC RINGS?
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Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Chattanoga TN
I spun a bearing on my motor, so im gonna go with some speed-pro .030 over pistons w/ coated skirts. They only weigh 540g. I had a guy tell me that their are better pistons on the market, but for the buck KB and Speed-Pro is really good stuff. Im not planning on running juice so im just gonna use hypereutectic pistons with this all motor setup probably gonna swap to something larger than a hot cam since the heads will be off and i can get new springs on them really easy.
Last edited by Bandit 1; Nov 29, 2005 at 02:24 PM.
