Poor Mans Stroker Build Questions

[nicpaige]

Rods were cleaned up. I still can't wrap my brain around reconditioned ! All you can do is clean then and put new bearings in. Never heard of a broken steel rod. I guess I just don't understand putting big amounts of cash into something unless you have to. Granted I had a complete 4.2 serpentine block . I didn't do all this custom stuff and my quench is nowhere near 43 and it runs on 87 octane no problem.

Reconditioning rods ensures the end bores are concentric (kind of important for bearing life) and checks and possibly corrects twists and bends if any are found.

[jsawduste]

Rods were cleaned up. I still can't wrap my brain around reconditioned ! All you can do is clean then and put new bearings in. Never heard of a broken steel rod. I guess I just don't understand putting big amounts of cash into something unless you have to. Granted I had a complete 4.2 serpentine block . I didn't do all this custom stuff and my quench is nowhere near 43 and it runs on 87 octane no problem.

Reconditioning rods ensures the end bores are concentric (kind of important for bearing life) and checks and possibly corrects twists and bends if any are found.

The quality control on Jeep rods is not very good. In addition to out of round big ends and twists many of the rods center to center is off. Not to mention re using the fasteners is not highly recommended.

The 87 octane comment is not based on worthwhile real life driving conditions. Nor I suspect on optimal state of tune.

What is a 4.2 serpentine block ?

[Cheromaniac]

Rods were cleaned up. I still can't wrap my brain around reconditioned ! All you can do is clean then and put new bearings in.

There's more to it than that Chris. Rods do indeed have to be cleaned but they should also checked for twist, big ends resized if out of round, center-to-center lengths to be equal, and balanced for weight at both ends. For extra insurance against failure, the rods can be shotpeened and the rod bolts should be replaced with ARP 112-6001 units. The 258 rods in my engine had all of the above done.

I didn't do all this custom stuff and my quench is nowhere near 43 and it runs on 87 octane no problem.

So what is your quench set at?

[amceaglesx4]

My 4.2 was a 1981 serpentine set up. Second I'm not sure about variances in rod specs. Umm.. real life driving I don't get. Isn't driving around real life driving ? Uhh.. oh yea quench is like 87 or 88. I don't seem to have problems except a choke /idle issue and timing pretty darn close. I might move it an 1/8 tonight and see if it accelerates better. Pretty sure the choke is the culprit. High volume oil pump my builder recommended against because he has had customers pull big rpm's and the pan is dry and spins a bearing. Also suggested unless you have high horsepower a double roller isn't needed. As far as rod bolts he said the same thing that unless I'm spinning high R's and over 400hp its not needed. It makes logical sense because a stock 4.0 is basically 200 HP with a single standard or roller chain and they get 300,000 miles all day long. I've personally never of any jeepers breaking a rod bolt before. Then I again I never heard of the crank nose breaking off tivhtning a bolt before. I'm still shocked with that one lol.

[amceaglesx4]

1981 AMC eagle California equipped. Only those had a serpentine if someone is like huh !!

[jsawduste]

The serp drive is in the length of the crank snout, nothing more.

Don't disgrace your engine builder like that.

[amceaglesx4]

What do you mean disgrace him. I didnt say anything bad about him. That's just what he said to me.

[amceaglesx4]

I know a crankshaft doesn't care what kind of belt you run. Just stating a fact. Long nose or short nose don't know which one it is. I'm guessing short nose because it doesn't have to hold multiple v-belt pulleys.