Okay guys, at the risk of exposing myself as a total moron, here's my problem keeping in mind my funds are very limited. I'm rebuilding my 283. Block bored 60 over, crank has been turned .020, new pistons (cast). I need to re-use the original connecting rods. Seven of the rods are close to the same weight but one is lighter so I thought I would try to match them up myself. I've matched the crank ends ok but there is not enough material on some of the small ends to remove to balance them. Is it possible to weld on some weight on the light rod (sounds risky). I really can't afford to take anything else to the machine shop or buy new rods. This will be a street engine that will see highway speeds and no doubt I will have the urge to step on it once in a while. Is this a disaster waiting to happen? I know I should buy new rods and get them balanced with the crank but....$$$$$$$ Thanks
If I were you I ´d not weld a rod. I ´d be afraid of bending it or weaken it by the heat. Having not all rods at an all equal weight probably won´t harm your street engine. I´ve had stock and balanced engines, I didn´t notice that much difference on highway use. I´d leave it as it is.
Like Hot Rod to Hell said put it together, it is not that critical on a low RPM streeter. Later, Mark
DeuceGuy...... I have the same engine in my old 40 Ford coupe. It's a 283 bored .060 over (292 cubic inches). I had mine balanced. Here are the sheets....... Before........ and After...... I suggest finding another 283 rod and saving your $$$ to get it balanced. It does make a BIG difference if done correctly... It is better balanced NOW at 8,000 RPMS than stock at 2,000 RPMS.
Did this set of rods come out of one engine as a factory assembly? If yes, put them back together, a factory balance job on a SBC is good for 6,000 any day of the week. If they are a mismatched collection from different engines that is a different story. How are you trying to equilize the weights? Are you hanging the rod from a free hanging fixture from the small end and weighing the big end? This the correct way. Next you weigh the whole rod and remove material from he small end to equalize the weigh of the whole rod (thus equalizing the weight of the small end.) If you are hanging the big end after balancing and weighing the small end you are pissing in the wind,you can't do it. If this method will not allow you to get a set that is equal (a rare occurance) then substitute another rod for the one that you can't equalize in this manner. For a street driven vehicle, which will rarely see the high side of 4500 RPM put it together and start enjoying the ride. Frank
i agree with fab32. if the rods were a set and were factory balanced that way, they should have been fine if you would have ran them as they were. was this a complete engine before you started or did you piece it together? cause the factory crank and rods are balacned together. if you mess with the rods it may throw off the crank. i used to work in a machine shop for couple of years. there was this guy that didnt want to pay for the balance on his engine. the engine damn near shook itself apart. he ended up having to pull it out and have us take it apart and to the balance job anyway. how much are the machine shops asking for a balance job? our machine shop did it for $100. hope your engine turns out good
I doubt the rods are a factory set, some of them don't match. Engine had been previously rebuilt. Ran OK last time it was running. Gotta think about this one, maybe I need to get a part-time job. Thanks guys
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