Hemi Rods

What rods do you guys recommend for a KB Hemi? Been using MGP but breaking them. Big bolt option too. Dammit Man!!!!

 

Mgp - grp

MGP has a pretty good reputation. This could be an interesting thread. Can you tell where the failure point has been on your rods after diesecting the carnage? My MGP experience is they have no bolt options when ordering, I'm curious what the "big bolt" option is.

 

R&R great rods and great to deal with!

http://www.rrconnectingrods.com/

 

Rod Bolts are breaking. Was told by my engine guy that the rod bolt upgrade was a $150 upgrade. 2nd time Ive had rod issues this year with MGP. Shifting a 526 Veney at 7800. Good oil pressure. Ive heard good things about Brooks.

 

Your not going to find a set of Brooks rods. We have been running the GRP's. They were a little heavier then the Brooks rods that they replaced, approx 30 grams or so. I am not sure which one, but one of the rod manufactures had an issue with sending out lube to be used when torquing the rod and then there was a recall stating it will give improper torque readings. This happened to a buddy of mine and he had to pull the engine down, clean everything, and then re-torque the rods using engine oil. Luckily he hadn't run it before he got the memo. Maybe something like this is your problem and not the rod or even the bolt.

 

A1 fasteners on MGP rods

MGP uses the A1 bolts which I like. As mentioned above, I don't know the definition of the "big bolt option". Below is MGP's web site and a quote from that site about fasteners. You should call MGP and talk through this....... Parts do break, but sometimes the manufacurer will have some insight that was completely not thought of.
I completely agree with Will about strech checking the bolts, I disliked that about the Brooks rods with the blind bolt holes that you couldn't do strech measurments.
For piece of mind I would definitely invest in calibrating the torque wrench or buy a new high quality one if yours is marginal. I believe MGP recommends using 50wt oil only as a lubricant when torquing. Just a couple of thoughts to try and find a cause. Hope you have better luck - I know it sucks when your high dollar bullet is spent.


http://www.mgpconnectingrods.com/

For the same reason we do not offer material upgrades we also, do not offer fastener upgrades. When you already are receiving the absolute best choice there is nothing to upgrade. At MGP Connecting Rods we refuse to provide our customers with a product with inferior quality. As a customer of MGP Connecting rods every customer can expect to receive nothing but the highest quality connecting rod assembled with the highest quality fasteners in the marketplace.

MGP Connecting Rods and A1 Technologies; Simply the Best Partnership!

 

You can ask 10 people and get 10 different answers, truth be told if you treat the rods like bars of gold and cycle them at the appropriate time; you should have an issue. I know Richard Putz runs MGP and swears by them. I know many TA teams run GRP as well, they seem to be happy too. If your engine builder is charging you a bolt upgrade on MGP, he's screwing ya. As previously stated and from talking to them personally; they only use A-1 Fasteners and have no upgrade available. I'd look for something else, espescially if it's breaking the bolt. When you say breaking the bolt are you actually snapping the bolt or is it pulling the treads out. I'm sure if you sent them to MGP they would take a look at them and help you with your issue.

Best of luck,
Brandon Booher
NHRA TAD #34

 

Rods

Interesting about the rod bolt "upgrade". I started this year out switching from a Big Chief BBC to a KB Veney. So far its been nothing but headaches. Ive blow BBC stuff up and Im certainly not one to point fingers. Shit happens and we move on. I ran MGP and GRP rods on my BBC with no issues. This is the second set of MGP rods Ive trashed this year due to bolts breaking. Im not trashing MGP. They make good rods. However, after two times I think Im gonna try something different. The Hemi is a monster when its running. Puts the BBC to shame. Now...To get it to stay together....lol

 

Like said before, there must be another problem. I, like many others have used MGP rods without any problems. I use GRP when the choice is mine but some of my customers request MGP and they hold up just fine. Did you break a rod in the same cylinder? What kind of wear pattern do the rod bearings have?

 

We run MGP with no issue we previously ran GRP with no issue,
we changed as that was my new engine guys choice and i trusted his judgement,
never let me down 10000 rpm a lot more when we hit the ocational F**c ups, (anyone here dont have them?)
id look elsewhere for the problem and if your engine guy sold you an upgrade that dont exist id start there

 

Again, I have run MANY Brands of rods and settled on MGP (although I have nothing bad to say abouy R&R or GRP) The company I had LOTS of breakage with is outta business. As Will said, I would be getting that Torque Wrench checked...7800rpm is nothing! I have had torque wrench issues, shooting flames between the head and block on the Dyno (that was CRAZY) We were blaming studs, etc.....was the WRENCH! Threw the Craftsmans away and own 4-SnapOns now

 

Check your PM's.

 

I've been using the ARP bolt lube and a 500.00 dollar torque wrench. So far no problems. Wrench is accurate to plus or minus 1% insted of the more normal 5%. I know that all the rod makers say to use oil, but every time I did the fastner would bite and click before final torque and I,d have to start over. With the ARP bolt lube it pulls up to torque on one smooth pull ( I do it in steps bolt to bolt). I torque to 91ft lbs on a mgp rod...so far so good. I know the rod makers know alot about rods but ARP KNOWS fasteners, their lube is very good.

 

Jody, if your using ARP lube and going to the "with oil" spec ,your probably over torqueing the fastener !

 

Has anybody ran the venoilla v2 rods yet. I run r&r and have had nothing but great success in my chevy. But since switching to a hemi I'm seeing unusual things going on in my bearing that I never seen before. I've never broke a bolt yet but I have been seeing out of round new rods. By like half a thou.

 

Good point, what is the spec one a hemi rod? This is my second set of hemi rods and no problems yet. Not enough torque is probably the cause of more rod failures than a little to much. Like i said I go to 90 or 91 ft lb's. with a very high quality digital non clicking torque wrench. Thanks.

 

Micheal Geononi told me that if you put the 2009 A-1 bolts in a chevy rod and torqued to # 105 (for .0065 stretchit detonates hard it will crush the cap.I asked him because I torqued my 2004 A-1 chevy mgp rod bolts to 105(.007 stretch)(with no issues). He said it would not break the bolt.MGP hemi rods with a 2009 bolt are #105 (for .0065-.007 stretch) in 30w motor oil.(chevy 2004 bolts #85- #90 for .006 - .0065)

The feeling I get is if you under toque a good rod bolt when it stretch's it will have momentum and snap.

Marty

 

Flames

Hey Uncle Tim, So thats where those funny marks on my deck surface came from.....

Also don't forget.....a Bad rod can actually window a billet block with no problem....lol