Does anyone rebuild connecting rods anymore?

Took one of my 400 sbc to my machinist and he immediately noticed too much play in the small end of the rod. Looks like they were honed just enough to make it a slip fit instead of pressed oil hole had been drilled in the top of them. Does anyone rebuild rods or just replace the set? He said I'm the first guy in 15 years that even thought about getting the small ends bushed. He can resize them, just cant bore and install the pin bushings.They already had ARP bolts stuck in which made the big end out of round.

 

My last two engines had the bushings replaced I would look for another shop

 

Most automotive machine shops don't have the equipment to bore and fit bushings, it actually doesn't even pay anymore with the pricing on many aftermarket rods. It was VERY popular years ago, most shops had a Tobin-Arp pin machine dedicated for this procedure.

In any event, they most likely could handle installing O/S wrist pins and bring everything back as it was when pressed. We still do this some times during the year for some shops, it's fairly straightforward for the most part.

Thanks, Gary in N.Y.

P.S. You can get new pins in many oversizes, we stock +.0015", +.003", +.005", etc. for both SB's and BB's!

 

JMHO ....As cheep as a set of Chevy rods are today the cost to recondition the old ones isn't worth the trouble... Around 75% cost of new ones to recondition them ...

 

we can totally rebuild and bush a set of rods with no problem........ But a lot of time it is more cost efficent to use an aftermarket rod that is stronger and comes with better bolts..already weight matched ..... minor fittment and they are ready to use.

 

Unless the con rod is a rare bird , I wouldn't even consider rebuilding con rods ! Labour used to cheaper than buying parts. I have a friend who owned and operettas a successful machine shop, anything from farm implement engines to hi-perf , he got an offer to work as a maintenance machist for a major pharmaceutical company , he closed up shop real quick, he says it was the best opportunity he ever had got, doesn't miss low paying engine rebuilding bussiness .many shop owners are doing the same every day , if they can find an alternative source of income !

 

Thanks for replying guys. They are just 400 rods 5.565 with nice ARP bolts. It is just a spare motor I was gonna go through to sell. Oversize pins may be an option as well as new rods.

 

After you buy a set of "off-shore" rods that are "cheaper" than rebuilding your existing rods, make sure you check the big end for size ( they often are on the very bottom of spec, and need to be resized) and check them for twist.

If your existing rods have had the small end honed for a slip fit and theres an oil hole, someone was running floated pins "steel on steel". Lots of room for debate on that deal...

 

So I am guessing you have pistons that are cut for a keeper and it had those in them.

 

I think the guys pretty well nailed it. It has become one of those things that isn't very well cost effective on sbc's anymore due to the comparative cost of good aftermarket pieces.

 

I'd bush and re-size what you have, I've never seen 5.565 aftermarket rods?? If you go with the 5.7 you'll need new pistons, but you already know that.

 

Yes saltflats, the pistons are forged TRW with spirolocks in them. L2515/6F for a 5.7 rod according to my old catalog. No wonder they were in the hole a good 1/8"! And they were definitely steel on steel, not even sure these can be rebuilt. Any recommendations for a decent rod? Carillos and Oliver don't count

 

American engine in Detroit will do it they been in Detroit many years and will machine build bush repair anything. There #. 1 313 297 2900 ask for mike

 

Thanks Bigchief55sd.

 

Another consideration with going to aftermarket rods, would be the cost involved to re-balance the rotating ***embly; the numbers would have to be too far off to just do a direct swap without a re-balance. To go with a oversize pin would also require a re-balance, if doing it correctly. Also, let's remember that Chevrolet did the steel-on-steel, full floating pin, on the Z-28 302 engines of the late 60's; and those rods were't bushed. You say the current combination is mismatched, being the pistons are 1/8" in the hole due to the wrong length rod being used. Just based on that, I'd go with aftermarket rods, and re-balance the ***embly; it may not be "just a backup engine" any more, and become the engine you actually want to use, and be far easier to sell if you decide to go that route. Most guys won't use the stock, short, 400 rods for a performance build. Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

Got some for sbc at napa .

 

Couldn't agree more Butch. When I bought it, the PO said it shook awful when it was revved up. At this point, it's either buy new rods and balance, or rebuild the rods, buy new pistons and balance.

 

Do you do the big ends? Joe

 

Again. American engine in Detroit order machine shop been there since fleet wood caddies were built on w fort have all the machinery to do it all. Old school and the prices u can't beat owners operater

 

Mike will rebalance. It and do what ever u want He likes to see the finished products run and again u won't be the price Call the shop after 7 pm Detroit time or leave a message we repair blocks heads any and everything 28 years doing it. 313 297 2900. 2 miles from cobo hall hope that helps. Building a 1955 pontiac g***er 455 twin turbos star chief got it backhalfed tubed. Rear axle Dana 60 373 46 inches end to end Hope this will help u guys Steve

 

Does it have the correct externally balanced balancer and flexplate on it?

If the PO could stuff up the piston/rod combo that bad, anything is possible!

 

It had a nice BHJ weighted balancer (that I got), and he kept his flywheel. Flywheel was a triple mini disc for a stock car. I'll send an SFI flexplate with it to get balanced. Yeah there are a lot of really poorly done things in this engine. On the other hand I bought it very right. OR I wouldn't even be jacking with it.

 

Running floating pins steel on steel may be somewhat controversial, but I certainly wouldn't call it stuffed up or ***ume that someone that was doing it was stupid.

 

So I guess you didn't read the part where the motor has TRW pistons setup for 5.7 rods but was ***embled with stock 400 rods?

That is what I was commenting on.

 

No, as a matter of fact, I didnt. Guilty as charged. DOH!!!

 

i've done steel on steel for 40 yrs never had any oiling problems i actually liked it better than boring the rod making thinner and installing a bushing. as stated above there is a need for longer rods to get a better squish and better mixture control .125 plus the head gasket thickness felpro .049 = .174 is way too much should be .030 to .060

 

400 balance has a section cut out half way around.

 

Nope, the balancer as well as the flywheel carries the weight instead of the crank. I got a fantastic offer from a fellow HAMBer on some new rods, once I get those bought, I'll get those to the shop and balanced. And the steel on steel may be fine as long as the doofus that put this motor together isn't doing it. In this instance the rod now rocks on the pin .020. That's according to the dial indicator. A bit much..

 

Yes the balancer and the flywheel carries the weight and the balance does Have a section cut out

 

That must be a stock damper; I see what you're talkin about now. Sorry, neither of mine have that type. Race motor is internally balance steel crank with an ATI, this particular one came with a BHJ. http://www.bhjdynamics.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_2_58&products_id=252