Rod bolts differences?

[gvare001]

I'm getting the 86 SC 2.2L rebuilt, it's getting new .040 oversized cast pistons, crank will get a 0.010 regrind. I have a question, I'm using the big rods from my old 600, and I notice that the rod bolts on the LW rods have sort of like a serrated mid section that seems to help keeping the two sections together a little better. The rod bolts on the older beefy rods don't have this feature. Can they be interchanged? In reality I should have just sprint for some ARP bolts, but I just got my order from FWD today, and I'm not going to have time to place another order. Thanks.

[gvare001]

Okay, so the feature on the newer bolts is called a wave lock; great so I just learned something new :) . Can they still be interchanged? The older rods are 84 and the LW's are 86. Thanks

[Anonymous_User]

They will probably interchange but I HIGHLY recommend replacing rod bolts anytime you are replacing the rod bearing.

[gvare001]

That's what I think also. I think I'll order the bolts and then put them on the motor myself when I get it back, that way I can torque them to spec.

[GLHSKEN]

No, You will need to have the rods re-sized after installing new bolts. Have a shop do it.

[puppet]

They will probably interchange but I HIGHLY recommend replacing rod bolts anytime you are replacing the rod bearing.Isn't this a bit extreme?

[GLHSKEN]

Yes, I agree. A bit much. If I was building a new block I would. Otherwise I would not

[Directconnection]

I'm getting the 86 SC 2.2L rebuilt, it's getting new .040 oversized cast pistons, crank will get a 0.010 regrind. I have a question, I'm using the big rods from my old 600, and I notice that the rod bolts on the LW rods have sort of like a serrated mid section that seems to help keeping the two sections together a little better. The rod bolts on the older beefy rods don't have this feature. Can they be interchanged? In reality I should have just sprint for some ARP bolts, but I just got my order from FWD today, and I'm not going to have time to place another order. Thanks.

Reusing old stock rod bolts is not a good thing. They are old, tired, and stock just waiting for failure if you plan on making any kind of HP.

Do NOT remove and install rod bolts of any sort without resizing them afterwards. The rod's housing bore is honed to size and even removing the original bolts and re-intalling them will shift the cap out of alignment not to mention stretch differently as well.

[Directconnection]

They will probably interchange but I HIGHLY recommend replacing rod bolts anytime you are replacing the rod bearing.


No... only replace ARP rod bolts after the stretch exceeds ARP's reccomendation. We have a contract to prep and rebuild all the ZZ4 (SB chevy) engine for the sealed crate motor circle track tours (PASS and ACT) The engines are run for a season as new, then we tear them down and instantly replace the stock bolts with arps. The ARPs stay in the rods for every season's refreshing until it's time to replace the rods from too many season's of abuse. So... those arps go about 3-4 seasons which mean 3-4rebuilds and usually one of those times, we end up needing to resize the rods which means banging out the arps, cutting the rod and cap, then pressing them back in.

Whenever a rod bolt is pressed out of a rod, it MUST be resized then. Always.

Also, the bolts in question... someone mentioned it sounds like an arp wave-loc to them. Every ARP bolt has an arp in the head and also a small dimple on each end for the rod bolt stretch guage to fit into. I think he just has stock bolts.

[gvare001]

Thank you so much for the technical advice guys. I guess I'll talk to the machine shop tomorrow and see if he wants to hold the motor for a few more days until I get the rod bolts. I'm sure they now about the resizing procedure on the rods.

[johnl]

What is the correct procedure, or concerns to think about, when you want to confirm rod bearing clearances with plasti-gauge?