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Hey guys thought ya'll might want to see the semi finished project. These are 3\8 steel rods. The beams have been ground and polished. Note that the parting lines are completely smooth. They are off to the machine shop tomorrow for new ARP bolts and resizing. They were already maged when I had the pistons pressed off. The pistons are Speed Pro Hypereuctics and should yeild 10.5:1 with my heads. Whata'ya think? :)
Not too hard to change them for full floating wrist pins if the pistons have the retaining groove? Makes assembly alot easier and I have had problems with wrist pin seizure on high rpm motors.
Good idea Norval. So if my pistons have the the retaining pin they can be used as floaters? They do have the pressure rings in a little bag that came with them. And the grooves are in the pistons.
Wade I might get arguement with this but here goes. I have done dozens of sets like this for guys over the years without a problem
Hone the stock steal wrist pin end for about .0003 clearance and drill a 1/8th hole from the top down in the center of the rod and another 1/8th hole from the front of the rod on the underside on an angle to come up in the bottom of the wrist pin hole.
GM recommended the hole in the bottom facing the front of the motor, then changed it to the top then back to the front at the bottom, They couldn't make up their mind.
I go with both to be safe and never had a problem'
Once again a 1/8th hole from the top and a 1/8th hole from the front of the rod at 6 oclock angleing up to the center of the wrist pin hole.
Chamfer both holes on the outside and leave the inside as is.
Like I said I have run alot of rods, no bushings without a problem.
Just drill the oil holes and hone for extra clearance .
Great info Norval thanks. I dropped the rods off at te machine shop ths morning. The cost of them converting the rods to floaters is just too expensive to justify it on these stock 3\8 rods. Withe the rod bolts and resizing I am going to be looking at $150 total including the origional magnifluxing and pressing of the old pistons off. My next BB is going to be a little more radical and I will definately use some of these tricks.
Wade the cost of converting them to full floaters involves nothing but honing the small end for a few tenths clearance, It is an easy process of just honing the small end so it is no longer a press fit. Pressing the pistons on would cost more then the honing process. You could drill the oil holes at home even with a hand drill if you are careful.
Anyway good luck with the rods. They will work fine.
Ok you peaked my interest again :crazy: I guess I forgot to factor in the added cost of pressing the pistons back on the rods. Is the honing of the inside something that has to be done at the machine shop? It kinda seems like I could use the same sanding rolls to hone out the small end.