BBC short block question about connecting rods
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Instructor
Joined: Feb 2013
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From: allentown Pa.
BBC short block question about connecting rods
I was wondering if I buy a brand new set of connecting rods can I just install them in my motor? They are just like the stock rods. 6.135" the motor is just a street motor. Thanks Dustin
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From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
When I get new rods I get them checked at my friends machine shop. Last set was Eagle and the big end was egg shaped so they had to machine them round. Last thing I will ever buy from Eagle.I also had to get another crankshaft because the forged Eagle crank was not straight 
If you go with high end pieces like Callies etc. they are usually on the money
If you go with high end pieces like Callies etc. they are usually on the money
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 181
Likes: 17
From: allentown Pa.
When I get new rods I get them checked at my friends machine shop. Last set was Eagle and the big end was egg shaped so they had to machine them round. Last thing I will ever buy from Eagle.I also had to get another crankshaft because the forged Eagle crank was not straight
If you go with high end pieces like Callies etc. they are usually on the money
If you go with high end pieces like Callies etc. they are usually on the money
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From: Corsicana, Tx
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Depending on what you're doing...those factory rods will take a lot with some decent bolts in them. My old 427 ran 9's with some N20 and spun 7000-7500 regularly. That's pushing it, but after 20+ years they were still in place.
That said, they aren't worth investing a lot of $$$ in to rebuild when aftermarket ones are available for reasonable prices.
If the bearings look good, I'd install some bolts in them, have the end honed afterwards to make sure they stay round (but truthfully I've changed many bolts and never touched them) and use them for a street motor.
The weight of them is what you have to watch out for. Aftermarkets could be heavier and need some crank work to re-balance. Just depends on what you have.
Are you changing pistons? Are you wanting floating pins?
JIM
That said, they aren't worth investing a lot of $$$ in to rebuild when aftermarket ones are available for reasonable prices.
If the bearings look good, I'd install some bolts in them, have the end honed afterwards to make sure they stay round (but truthfully I've changed many bolts and never touched them) and use them for a street motor.
The weight of them is what you have to watch out for. Aftermarkets could be heavier and need some crank work to re-balance. Just depends on what you have.
Are you changing pistons? Are you wanting floating pins?
JIM
Last edited by 427Hotrod; Jul 5, 2016 at 03:21 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 181
Likes: 17
From: allentown Pa.
Depending on what you're doing...those factory rods will take a lot with some decent bolts in them. My old 427 ran 9's with some N20 and spun 7000-7500 regularly. That's pushing it, but after 20+ years they were still in place.
That said, they aren't worth investing a lot of $$$ in to rebuild when aftermarket ones are available for reasonable prices.
If the bearings look good, I'd install some bolts in them, have the end honed afterwards to make sure they stay round (but truthfully I've changed many bolts and never touched them) and use them for a street motor.
The weight of them is what you have to watch out for. Aftermarkets could be heavier and need some crank work to re-balance. Just depends on what you have.
Are you changing pistons? Are you wanting floating pins?
JIM
That said, they aren't worth investing a lot of $$$ in to rebuild when aftermarket ones are available for reasonable prices.
If the bearings look good, I'd install some bolts in them, have the end honed afterwards to make sure they stay round (but truthfully I've changed many bolts and never touched them) and use them for a street motor.
The weight of them is what you have to watch out for. Aftermarkets could be heavier and need some crank work to re-balance. Just depends on what you have.
Are you changing pistons? Are you wanting floating pins?
JIM
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
Go after him and make it right
Its your motor your money, not like he tried to idiot proof it and drop it some 8 anything to 1 is lame unless its for towing. Compression really adds kick to any motor
Its your motor your money, not like he tried to idiot proof it and drop it some 8 anything to 1 is lame unless its for towing. Compression really adds kick to any motor
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Here is my delema, the guy I took my motor to have it built, put it back together with all the stuff I gave him, witch isn't bad but I told him I want floating rods and new pistons to make up for the change in the cc in the new heads. I'm putting Brodix oval port heads on my motor and with the factory pistons the compression is down around 8.73. I specified I wanted the compression at 9.5:1 . And on top of it he's charging me 3200.00 for it. I don't know what to do???????
Not sure of the cubes we're dealing with here....if you're changing pistons/rods you might look into a .250" longer rods and lighter pistons.
If you don't want to mess with shortblock, you could mill the heck out of the heads and the intake face of heads to match intake manifold and pick up some compression. The Brodix are pretty thick heads.
JIM
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: meraux LA
I put some forged +7cc pistons when I rebuild my 454BBC. 30 over. I used the stock rods with arp bolts. I used a set of Brodix alum heads. From what I was told and read, it doesn't make a difference between floating and pressed pins unless you are planning on pulling the motor apart often. I just stayed with the pressed pins. I did however convert to a retro roller cam. There was no way I was taking a chance to wipe a cam lobe. just my .02.