Hemi rod bolts

in a 354 if replacing the rod bolts do you have to machine the big end over again? and how bad do you realy have to change them from stock, i havent heard of any body loosing a rod bolt yet on a hemi.

 

I would change them to arp bolts and yes they need to be re done on the bottom end after the change. Gary

 

X2!~

 

have any of you stayed with the original bolts or have seen a hemi die because of a rod bolt. i am leaning towards staying with the originals, i have built over 40 engines and only changed a few sets while building.

 

i kno it is better for assurance, but have you seen them break?

 

Norm Thatcher went fast with stock rod bolts and so did Tim Flock and Buck Baker.

 

I'm running the street so knowing that(not racing).... I've not had ANY problems with any engine issues for eleven years and counting(three hemis..three different cars.)! Personally I would feel confident that if the engine did not have any profound issues(spun brgs., rod through block,etc., ......I'd do a classic rebuild. Just check EVERYTHING!!! Al

 

thanks, that is the way i feel,it will not be raced, mayyby run hard a few times from a stop light but that is it. the engine has had no issue's before building, crank was nice and also the rods and bearings, on the rod bolts there was small jam nuts over the main rods nuts, is this original and do you use them or replace with loctite tread locker?

 

I've never seen extra lock nuts used on any car engine. I just use the original nuts and lube them up so that the proper torque is applied. Sounds like someone may have added those lock nuts. I think it would throw the balance of the rods off. Just my opinion.

 

Ford flathead V8s used stamped steel 'pal nuts'. When I built flatheads, (stock or modified) I used them religiously.

(this was previous to Loctite)

 

My 270 was all original and it has lock nuts on the rods and lock washers on the main cap bolts. I had never seen this before.

I bought a set of reconditioned rods and they came shipped with lock washers installed. I plan on running them the way they came.

70RR or TWaters your thoughts?

 

they are just very thin stamp sheet metal lock nuts that go behind the main rod nut to lock in place, i was thinking of putting locktite instead of them, they seem to be flimsy, i will get a picture.

 

Thats what came on my reconditioned "new old stock" rods and pistons. I'm going to run'em

 

The problem/concern with reusing any con-rod bolt in any engine is simply the number of times they have been stretched in that, seemingly, never ending up and down cycle.
Yes, Mopar typically used excellent grade materials in the 'old days' so if you have an engine that saw relatively soft duty then perhaps you could keep the bolts. But, for the small investment, why?
You don't need to spend alot of money on good bolts with the 'Hemi" label, just use 318-340 pieces. Mopar Performance is a good choice.

Do not use a thread locking chemical. It will not allow for proper torquing.

My 2¢

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it is not the price of the bolts, my machine shop is 4 hour drive one way plus the machining of the big end.

 

4 hour inconvenience, vs. increased possibility of throwing a rod and having to rebuild the entire engine.

I'll take the 4 hours inconvenience and put new bolts in. I think it's worth it just to sleep a little better at night. Sure, the chance may be sort of low of tossing one with stock bolts, but not low enough for me when I'm already in there rebuilding it. Especially if you don't know the history. Maybe if it was the first time ever apart, but if it were me I would go the extra mile(s) and replace the bolts.

 

If your machinist is four hours away, it would be much cheaper to just ship him the rods. Let him rebuild them and ship them back.

So, for me to drive 8 hours (4 hours each way) to drop off 8 rods, that would cost me about $86 dollars in gas. That's assuming I can average 60 mph the whole way because it's open country between me and my machinist, and I'm getting 21 mpg, and gas is 3.75 per gallon. It also assumes that he will install the new rod bolts and hone the big end while I stand there before heading home.

I bet you could send those 8 rods to Colorado and back for less than that.

 

i still havent heard anybody yet saying they lost a rod in a hemi(other than full out racing and blowers) on a stock rebuild or even up-graded engines with stock rod bolts. i kno it would be assurance to do them.

 

the older they get, the more likely that is to happen. it's a no brainer to use new bolts to me.

 

It all comes down to "how lucky do you feel"

Me, I'm a pessimist when it comes to bolts . . . bolts of just about any damn kind! They're about the cheapest insurance there is.

Also, when you throw a rod out the side of a block, it normally doesn't have time to tell you 'why' . . . and you'll be busy with a wheel barrow picking up all the pieces.

B&S

 

Like the farmer said when his cow died. " Damn.....its never done that before"

 

Maybe that's because hardly anyone uses the stock bolts?

 

After seeing My buddies freshly rebuilt 426 Hemi with Mopar performance bolts, Ide stay way away from them.
The flywheel bolts actually pulled out in the center. A few were depressed about a sixteenth of an inch. After He saw that He tore down the motor completly and replaced the rod and main bolts with ARP. Im a BIG Mopar fan but not there fastners.
FED

 

I would just replace the bolts. Rods are no place to save money. There are plenty of other places you can save buck or a few hours time that won't have the consequences of throwing a rod.

And, I would have the rods checked and resized regardless of your rod bolt choice. There's no guarantee that the rods are true and round, or even that they were from the factory. While the early hemi's have a pretty good reputation when it comes to the factory machine work, there's always the chance that you've got one they built on Friday afternoon or Monday morning.

 

I'd replace them... But it sounds like you've made up your mind so just run them and keep us posted on how long they last!

 

Ok i give in,what new rod bolts and part number do you use, i looked at arp online catologe and did not find them listed.

 

good move, you'l not be sorry

 

i kno, i was trying to convince myself that they would be good(problable are), i was ready to put them in this weekend, guess i will wait until they get done, have to order the bolts, then ship out the rods, bushings and bolts, i will problably have to send a piston pin also for them to fit them properly to the new bushing that they will have to reem, i am sure it will run me at least another 400$ but compared to my 1000$ ross custom pistons cost me.

 

here is the piston 0.060 354 10-1 compression.