LT1-LT4 Modifications 1993-97 Gen II Small Block V8

Stock LT1 rod question

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Old Jun 24, 2007 | 02:08 PM
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Michigan Skip's Avatar
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Default Stock LT1 rod question

How much do you think the stock LT1 rod can handle? HOw about the stock crank? 450-500 maybe?
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Old Jun 24, 2007 | 06:14 PM
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At the flywheel these parts have no problem whatsoever at those power levels and beyond them even.
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Old Jun 24, 2007 | 06:45 PM
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Skip,

I have had good results with the stock rods, pistons, and crank. I have also had a couple of motors with PM rods that failed and took out the entire long block.

My experiences with LTX engine failures;

I dropped a valve on a motor that had PM rods and TRW pistons. The valve head beat up the piston pretty badly and the rod snapped. It wiped out the block, cam, lifters, and damaged both heads beyond repair. The motor had been in the car for a year and a half (best pass of 10.89).

I had a major explosion in a motor that had PM rods and stock pistons. I am not exactly sure what caused the failure, because most of the parts weren't recognizable. One piston and rod assembly was reduced to nickle sized parts. A second rod broke causing the piston to nail the head, shattering it. I lost the block, heads, cam, everything but the intake. This motor lasted four passes (best of 10.70).

I broke a pushrod on a motor with forged rods and pistons at our first race last year. I replaced both pushrods on the #7 cylinder. We ran the motor all year without any more problems. It ran as fast as 6.57 in the 1/8th in testing in the Winter. When we tore the motor down for updates over the Winter we found that the #7 rod was bent pretty badly.

I now run forged pistons and rods in all of my motors. The factory crank is fine. If you decide to run the factory parts use good rod bolts and have everything balanced. Is this for your Stocker project?

Good Luck,

Daren
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Old Jun 24, 2007 | 07:08 PM
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hey Daren how high are your motors being spun? how much fwhp we talking?
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Old Jun 24, 2007 | 07:24 PM
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I spin them 7200-7500 rpm in the 1/4 mile. I have never had a motor on an engine dyno, so I'm really not sure what my flywheel HP would be. I haven't had a car on a chassis dyno for a couple of years either. Best performance in my old Camaro was 10.50 at a little over 3200 lbs that would equate to about 500 FWHP?
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Old Jun 24, 2007 | 07:48 PM
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A lot depends on how you make the power. N2o, and ro crazy RPM tend to need better parts the say a blower or turbo. N2o is bad for how it spikes the power and cyd pressure. RPM has a lot to do with piston speed and weight. Not doing the math but at 7000 rpm with a stock stroke of 3.48 the pistion will reach about 60mph stop and go back the other way.
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Old Jun 24, 2007 | 08:40 PM
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The higer you spin the motor,then less hp can the assembly hold + 2bolt mains are limited to rpm and needs extra clerance on the bernings because of deflection of the crankshaft
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Old Jun 25, 2007 | 07:01 AM
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Originally Posted by GIZMO
Skip,

I have had good results with the stock rods, pistons, and crank. I have also had a couple of motors with PM rods that failed and took out the entire long block.

My experiences with LTX engine failures;

I dropped a valve on a motor that had PM rods and TRW pistons. The valve head beat up the piston pretty badly and the rod snapped. It wiped out the block, cam, lifters, and damaged both heads beyond repair. The motor had been in the car for a year and a half (best pass of 10.89).

I had a major explosion in a motor that had PM rods and stock pistons. I am not exactly sure what caused the failure, because most of the parts weren't recognizable. One piston and rod assembly was reduced to nickle sized parts. A second rod broke causing the piston to nail the head, shattering it. I lost the block, heads, cam, everything but the intake. This motor lasted four passes (best of 10.70).

I broke a pushrod on a motor with forged rods and pistons at our first race last year. I replaced both pushrods on the #7 cylinder. We ran the motor all year without any more problems. It ran as fast as 6.57 in the 1/8th in testing in the Winter. When we tore the motor down for updates over the Winter we found that the #7 rod was bent pretty badly.

I now run forged pistons and rods in all of my motors. The factory crank is fine. If you decide to run the factory parts use good rod bolts and have everything balanced. Is this for your Stocker project?

Good Luck,

Daren
Yeah, I'm gathering parts for the engine now. I have a block,crank and a set of rods/pistons but thought I'd go with forged TRW L2256 pistons. That's what the NHRA rules calls for. I was just wondering about the rods and crank. What bearings do you recommend?
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