upgrading rods (only) on stock rotating system that has low mileage

JerZeyStangz · Jan 4, 2016

Hey Sn95 brothers,

I always like to ask on unusual questions but is it possible to upgrade only the rods on a stock or modded long block with the stock rotating assembly? Do people even do this if they have a some-what low mileage engine that they want to beef up without going fully forged? What are your thoughts on it?

-Nate

03DSGGT · Jan 4, 2016

Its definitely doable. Nowadays everybody is running Coyote rods. They are a direct swap and will handle more power and RPM than the stockers. Plus theyre cheap, I paid like $160 for mine from Tousley...

96blak54 · Jan 4, 2016

But if youre using stock pistons, the coyote upgrade is kinda overkill. The stock rods are perfect for the stock pistons. Either are time bombs when the power levels are up past 400rwhp.

Each to their own, but if all your upgrading over stock is the rods, then I would not bother.

Now if you were to add a set of forged pistons.....oh baby! She gets the rods!

DropTopPony · Jan 4, 2016

What has you thinking of just upgrading the rods and not the pistons?

Boss rods are the way to go but if I was going to go through that trouble I would at least find a cheap set of forged pistons. Once you rip it apart you will need to buy some hardware and gaskets so make it worth the time and money when you do it.

whiplash473 · Jan 4, 2016

I may be missing something but with intending to keep the rest of it stock, why would you upgrade the rods at all? Unless you've upgraded your heads, at which point I'd ask why you didn't do the rods then.

JerZeyStangz · Jan 4, 2016

What made me think up this idea was that since I'm upgrading the top end of the motor, why not throw a set of boss/coyote rods for added insurance. Can you just replace the rods/pistons without rebuilding the block from scratch. I know that the Pistons wear differently in each bore so I don't know how that's going to work out. This why I just thought of upgrading the rods with top end kit because the car is going to be boosted. You know the deal droptop [emoji6]

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96blak54 · Jan 5, 2016

This all depends on block condition. If the engine was running great before rebuild, yes...a good cylinder honing and clean up would all thats needed assuming purchased pistons and rods measure good.

Ive done a few very successful junkyard builds that are still running strong,.....you couldnt do any worse!

JerZeyStangz · Jan 5, 2016

Instead of doing a complete tear down, would it just be easier to throw in rods? I think I'm going to chance it and just do the top end with very low boost.

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lwarrior1016 · Jan 5, 2016

The big problem would come in at the fact that to do the rods, you have to remove the oil pan. Its easiest to do that by removing the engine. If you are doing rods then you already have to remove the pistons from the block. At that point, the engine is out of the car, the oil pan is off, the rods and pistons are out, now you are staring at a crankshaft that is begging for new bearings and arp studs. Do you get where im going with this?

DropTopPony · Jan 5, 2016

lwarrior1016 said:
The big problem would come in at the fact that to do the rods, you have to remove the oil pan. Its easiest to do that by removing the engine. If you are doing rods then you already have to remove the pistons from the block. At that point, the engine is out of the car, the oil pan is off, the rods and pistons are out, now you are staring at a crankshaft that is begging for new bearings and arp studs. Do you get where im going with this?

Exactly!

And after you break it down and rebuild a lot of the Ford bolts are one time use so you either buy new or go to the ARP stuff which will hit you in the wallet up front. The little things add up quick on the build list.

I would run it with boost as is and throw a few dollars to the side each month saving for the rebuild.

JerZeyStangz · Jan 5, 2016

lwarrior1016 said:
The big problem would come in at the fact that to do the rods, you have to remove the oil pan. Its easiest to do that by removing the engine. If you are doing rods then you already have to remove the pistons from the block. At that point, the engine is out of the car, the oil pan is off, the rods and pistons are out, now you are staring at a crankshaft that is begging for new bearings and arp studs. Do you get where im going with this?

Absolutely. Just thinking of ways to do this some-what efficiently, but $$$ always plays the biggest factor lol.

DropTopPony said:
Exactly!

And after you break it down and rebuild a lot of the Ford bolts are one time use so you either buy new or go to the ARP stuff which will hit you in the wallet up front. The little things add up quick on the build list.

I would run it with boost as is and throw a few dollars to the side each month saving for the rebuild.

This was my plan all a long, this car hobby sucks at time. Thanks Droptop.

whiplash473 · Jan 6, 2016

JerZeyStangz said:
What made me think up this idea was that since I'm upgrading the top end of the motor, why not throw a set of boss/coyote rods for added insurance. Can you just replace the rods/pistons without rebuilding the block from scratch. I know that the Pistons wear differently in each bore so I don't know how that's going to work out. This why I just thought of upgrading the rods with top end kit because the car is going to be boosted. You know the deal droptop [emoji6]

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Unless there's a problem with an individual cylinder, the pistons shouldn't be much different from one another. The rings and cylinder walls might be a different story, but like @96black54 said - if there's no issues then a simple honing would do fine.

JerZeyStangz · Jan 7, 2016

whiplash473 said:
Unless there's a problem with an individual cylinder, the pistons shouldn't be much different from one another. The rings and cylinder walls might be a different story, but like @96black54 said - if there's no issues then a simple honing would do fine.

I know for sure when the engine gets rebuilt for power I will go this route but I was just trying to do cheap insurance for rods. I'm going to just leave it a lone till I can afford a built bottom end.

Willis_98GT · Jan 7, 2016

JerZeyStangz said:
What made me think up this idea was that since I'm upgrading the top end of the motor, why not throw a set of boss/coyote rods for added insurance. Can you just replace the rods/pistons without rebuilding the block from scratch. I know that the Pistons wear differently in each bore so I don't know how that's going to work out. This why I just thought of upgrading the rods with top end kit because the car is going to be boosted. You know the deal droptop [emoji6]

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Glad to see you're finally building her up old friend