Aluminum Rods are in Texas!

[ecc_33]

All right guys, who is it that has two sets of aluminum rods thats down in texas. Fowler engines out of columbus ohio told me today that they have sold 2 sets to a guy down south.....Are they in a running truck yet or still at the engine builders? Someone has to know about this!!!!!

 

[Diesel power]

Nothing new, they have been in my engine for over two years now.

 

[x MadMAX DIESEL]

But your not the guy from Texas

 

[emiller3]

Maybe Mike Wood or Greg Houge?

 

[Diesel power]

its mike woods

 

[McRat]

You Mike Woods shipping and receiving manager now? :thumb:

Congrats on the promotion! :hug:

 

[ecc_33]

Yes Wade, I know you have ran them a few passes, These were made about 3 miles from where I work. I had them bore out my compressor cover and asked if they ever made a set for a duramax and Chris laughed and said yes, two sets and shipped them to a engine builder in texas. Fowlers engines is a huge name in blown alcohol pulling trucks, tractors, and drag racing. They build a ton of aluminum rods. Just wondering what kind of machine work they had to do to get them to fit, and if they are holding up?

 

[ecc_33]

Oh and Wade, before you rant and rave how yours have been holding up.....21 passes isn't enough time to know how they will hold up to something 7,000 pounds and drivin on the street. Although I would be curious to know what kind of machine work, bottom of cylinders, piston squirts, crank, it took to clear the rods as i know they are much bigger than stock

 

[McRat]

Opinion:

Aluminum Rods - It has been noted that some of the aftermarket steel rods have failed. I've run Crowers and Carillos. And I pulled them out and measured them afterwards. .0002" change max, which is about normal for anything that has been heat cycled even without load. So my problem with bending rods is solved for now.

There might be some gain from reducing mass, it's a question of how much gain, and how much money. We all have a "budget", and we try to focus on mods that get max Bang For Dee Buck.

Because of that, with my personal budget, aluminum rods aren't in my future unless they are significantly cheaper than steel, and at least as strong.

But this might not apply to everyone. I try to go fast by figuring out what is slowing me down, then fixing that. For me at least, steel rods aren't my problem.

 

[ecc_33]

well the price of 1100 for a set got me VERY curious

 

[McRat]

Well, at $1100 a set, I'd be VERY curious too!

 

[McRat]

Heck, if that's the right price, I might run a set, pull them, then measure.

 

[ripmf666]

last I saw was 1950.00 for the ones Wade has I take it the once Mike has are the same brand.

 

[McRat]

Here's something to think about.

Hardness is how much a metal resists changing it's shape permanently. A spring can very hard and still "move" a lot, but it returns to it's original shape.

Aluminum has a max hardness of about 78k PSI. That's about the same as mild steel.

Will it eventually deform? Dunno.

 

[ecc_33]

http://www.fowlerengines.com/ I talked to Chris today. He said expect price to be around 135 a piece. So my math puts me at 1080 before tax. I have like new stock rods to let them have if anyone truley wants to make this happen. I am very curious to see if they will hold up to light driving, and racing. They are a known shop. Jeff and I have talked this idea over numerous times! but I never talked to fowlers becuase i just always assumed they wouldn't be much cheaper...Well I was wrong

 

[ecc_33]

Chris said they turn there alcohol pulling engines at 9200rpm's. 9.5 to 1 compression. And roughly 40-45psi of boost. Now say you only turn 4200rpm's roughly. Stay at no more than stock compression. And don't run much over 50psi. Does our relatively low rpm considerably help the rod live in a somewhat street/strip manner. Jeff has said he has ran aluminum rods in gas cars on the road. Jeff also said that the ol pontiac guys run there aluminum rodded big blocks on the road for thousands of miles with no ill effect. They also run lower R's than other big block models?????????? Who's going to try this:happy2: I figured I would bring this to peoples attention since I kinda ran across this by curiousity. Food for thought if nothing else. Got to make the last month of winter go by faster and more interesting LOL

 

[Diesel power]

Folwer makes nice stuff, but not the brand i choose to run. The forging i use are proprietary to one manufacture, they are forged, not billet.

There is quite a bit of thinking involved in putting them in and getting the engine to stay together. Everyone i talked to before my build went forward thought i was crazy and offered very little advice/help. So i went with what i knew had worked with past gas/diesel engine builds and it worked.


The cost to build one is much cheaper than a billet stroker kit...

This is for racing only, and expected teardowns yearly at min

I wouldent reccomend the faint of heart to try this, it's not as easy as i say it is, it will test your patience.

on steel rods i have the ability to private label my own and can retail them for under 1900, so cost is not the reason i went with aluminum...

Mikes dragster weighs under 1900lbs too

Results may vary

 

[paint94979]

http://www.fowlerengines.com/ I talked to Chris today. He said expect price to be around 135 a piece. So my math puts me at 1080 before tax. I have like new stock rods to let them have if anyone truley wants to make this happen. I am very curious to see if they will hold up to light driving, and racing. They are a known shop. Jeff and I have talked this idea over numerous times! but I never talked to fowlers becuase i just always assumed they wouldn't be much cheaper...Well I was wrong

That makes you wonder why are we paying $3,000 and getting raped for steel rods? there can't be and extra $2,000 in material... something is seriously wrong

 

[ecc_33]

This is for racing only, and expected teardowns yearly at min


Results may vary

I disagree. If i stay at around 700ish hp and am keeping a stock engine alive then i can't see why a stronger aluminum rod won't work. I just don't know how much cash it would take to make them fit or if that could even be feesible...These things are HUGE compared to stockers. I do agree you won't be able to make these stronger than a forged steel rod. But since I am on a very tight budget this could possibly be another rod option.
Paint, This is why I have waited so long to build something in hopes of prices getting drove down! It is freakin rediculous for the prices we pay for some of this stuff.

 

[Diesel power]

You Mike Woods shipping and receiving manager now? :thumb:

Congrats on the promotion! :hug:

you'd be surprised who i know and talk to on a daily basis...