LB7: Rod Upgrade Cost

[Stingpuller]

Rods

There have been many "Rod Only" motors running around. Back in the day it was very common. :coolspot:

 

[TheBac]

Serious question, why not just stab a set of rods in a good low-ish mileage engine? 10k is nuts if you're just a dude that wants to put the squeeze on a engine a little harder than stock rods would be happy with. Pull the engine down, insert rods, go have fun. I've actually always been a little surprised I don't hear of people doing this more often.

I'm obviously paraphrasing to a degree but you get the point. Never understood why when you want more HP capability out of your rods you have to rebuild the rearend, "just in case".

Sounds sorta like my plans. Already got most of the other stuff done. Add studs and a rebalance and away we go.

 

[Chevy1925]

My biggest fear was another part failing that takes out my 2800.00 dollar rods, heads, block and crank.
Also dont see the point in delipped pistons. By the time you buy new rings, pay shipping and machine work why not spend the little extra for plain mahle cast pistons?

700 bucks in pistons is a heck of alot less than 2k and mahle cast pistons are still prone to cracking just as much as the 700 dollar stockers unless you are running fingers bowl cut which is more than 2k.

 

[Chevy1925]

There have been many "Rod Only" motors running around. Back in the day it was very common. :coolspot:

Sounds sorta like my plans. Already got most of the other stuff done. Add studs and a rebalance and away we go.

i believe Levi was meaning No balancing, no block clean up, and just throwing rods in it only. literally just pull old rods out and put new rods in, put back together and go run

 

[Ne-max]

700 bucks in pistons is a heck of alot less than 2k and mahle cast pistons are still prone to cracking just as much as the 700 dollar stockers unless you are running fingers bowl cut which is more than 2k.

Cast mahle are 1500.00. Ive seen more delipped pistons crack then them myself.

 

[clrussell]

i believe Levi was meaning No balancing, no block clean up, and just throwing rods in it only. literally just pull old rods out and put new rods in, put back together and go run

So if someone wants to test this I have the perfect truck/ engine..


Ill take rod donations and fund the rest myself

 

[Turbo Performance]

There have been many "Rod Only" motors running around. Back in the day it was very common. :coolspot:

I thought of you as I was typing it. Figured you had either done it or helped someone do it. You've been faster for cheaper with a Dmax than anyone I can think of. I appreciate the grassroots approach.

i believe Levi was meaning No balancing, no block clean up, and just throwing rods in it only. literally just pull old rods out and put new rods in, put back together and go run

Pretty much. It's just so easy to get consumed with the "might as wells" until you arrive at might as well 2nd mortgage the house to pay for the engine you just built. :rofl:

I don't think I'd even pull the crank. If it ran decent before, pull the heads, rods, pistons, change rods and stick it back together. Balance wise, I think these engines from the factory probably leave a lot to be desired if it had came from a race engine shop, but if you're not hanging at 5k all day I doubt it would ever give you fits.

Realistically, if you had a spare engine, you could probably do a rod swap for around 3k including rods, bearings, and gaskets. Honestly, if it's last 1/3 the time your 10k engine lasts it's really 6's between the two. Looking at it purely in terms of dollars/miles and not factoring the week or so you spend doing it. Just thinking out loud, cheap shit that goes fast is cool.

 

[Chevy1925]

Cast mahle are 1500.00. Ive seen more delipped pistons crack then them myself.

still half the cost and i would have to agree to disagree on cracked stockers but i also have a theory that has been holding true since i tried it years back.

 

[Ne-max]

still half the cost and i would have to agree to disagree on cracked stockers but i also have a theory that has been holding true since i tried it years back.

What caused Bri Bris to crack?

 

[Chevy1925]

What caused Bri Bris to crack?

he didnt. he had a crank crack on him. but either way he was 200hp over my suggested hp for the pistons and didnt quite stay in my theory either.

 

[Ne-max]

he didnt. he had a crank crack on him. but either way he was 200hp over my suggested hp for the pistons and didnt quite stay in my theory either.

They was cracked. :thumb:

 

[Dan@PPE]

700 bucks in pistons is a heck of alot less than 2k and mahle cast pistons are still prone to cracking just as much as the 700 dollar stockers unless you are running fingers bowl cut which is more than 2k.

Is this from personal experience or just hearsay? Because i know quite a few trucks making over 1k to the wheels with our Mahle cast pistons.

 

[Chevy1925]

They was cracked. :thumb:

Well since i saw pictures of the tear down, he sold them here and just talked with him, you would be incorrect. only the crank started failing.

Is this from personal experience or just hearsay? Because i know quite a few trucks making over 1k to the wheels with our Mahle cast pistons.

Anthonys truck is just one i know of.

Look, im not saying they are a crap piston and stock is better. Everyone has a limit to a budget and some things fit better in that budget than others for a given HP. building an engine in these trucks has a whole lot of twists and turns that can be taken

 

[Ne-max]

Well since i saw pictures of the tear down, he sold them here and just talked with him, you would be incorrect. only the crank started failing.



Anthonys truck is just one i know of.

Look, im not saying they are a crap piston and stock is better. Everyone has a limit to a budget and some things fit better in that budget than others for a given HP. building an engine in these trucks has a whole lot of twists and turns that can be taken

Interesting. My buddy bought them......Guess what?

 

[Burn Down]

I sold all the crap I gathered up for my engine, rods, cam, girdle, billet mains, etc etc... the LLY sitting in the garage will get Good rods, delipped stock pistons, balanced, studs, stock main caps dowled, maybe bearings and rings depending on condition (supposed to low mileage). I'm going to drop that sucker in my 84' shortbed and beat the sh*t out of it... If it blows up oh well. Grab another short/long block and do the same thing. The price of go fast parts for the d-max has taken some of the fun out of this for me...

And Trent was into his short block for 3-3500 IIRC. Clicked off quite a few 10s before he pushed a cup I think and torched a piston.

 

[hondarider552]

Is this from personal experience or just hearsay? Because i know quite a few trucks making over 1k to the wheels with our Mahle cast pistons.

I still remember the alligator race truck that cracked all 8 pistons, heck, back in 2008? Not sure. Cracking still happens regardless of style piston, (not counting forged)

 

[hondarider552]

Hell, trent delipped his own pistons while in the truck with a die grinder...

It worked.

 

[Chevy1925]

Interesting. My buddy bought them......Guess what?

not sure what your getting at. that brian sold cracked pistons?

 

[Ne-max]

not sure what your getting at. that brian sold cracked pistons?

Not on purpose

 

[Dan@PPE]

I still remember the alligator race truck that cracked all 8 pistons, heck, back in 2008? Not sure. Cracking still happens regardless of style piston, (not counting forged)

meh... yep crappy tuning or bad injectors/setup can take out parts quick!! I "doubt" the failure was the pistons fault