I went to my machine shop on the weekend and took a couple of pictures of my new 468. However I am a little concerned about re-using the connecting rods that came in the engine. My machine shop says that it is very difficult to destroy a factory big block connecting rod. Do these connecting rods look ok to you guys??? I thought they looked kinda rusty. As you can see he has already balanced all of them, and I would hate to have to buy new ones, and then send them out for balancing again, Especially if he might have the bottom end bolted up by now. Any ideas??? Thanks

http://members.shaw.ca/jamiebett3/images/IMG_0410.jpg

run them...............i would have cleaned them up first with a wire wheel before all the work went in to them just to make me feel better..............but they would be fine............looks like some flash rust is all....

Tell him to give them a quick blow off in the bead blasting cabinent.

Thats what i was gonna say, they should be bead blasted, they look like the bette "dog bone" truck rods if i am not mistaken are they 7/16" or 3/8"?

Ooooh, NO!! Don't run them!!

Send them over to Central Missouri so I can recycle them at the boney--, er Recycling Center!!

He, He!! BTW, my motor is my recycling center....

No, they are fine b/c mine looked the same way, no biggy at all!!

pdq67

I would tend to agree. The bolts would be the weak link. I'd sure want ARP bolts in them. I destroyed a 427 NHRA stocker engine when it over revved and an exhaust valve went through a cast piston. The piston ended up in chunks in the oil pan and the then-naked upper rod and wrist pin went through the cylinder wall. But the rod was still intact (bent) and connected to the crank.

Those are truck rods - strongest 3/8 bolt rod GM made for big blocks. As recommended earlier, replace bolts with aftermarket, have 'em resized and go. On the other hand, magnafluxing can only detect cracks. There is no method for determining metal fatigue due to high number of cycles or gauging how near that final stroke a rod is before it breaks. Make sure you clean ALL of the oil passages in the block, double check all tolerances and use good bolts. That's about all of the insurance you can get with any rod. HTH

Jaime, the only component left from my original crate L88 are the rods. Sure I polished the beams so you can see your reflection in them, but I'm not sure that did anything. I was 17 and had TIME on my hands!.

Bead 'em, Magnaflux them, put ARP fasteners on, and have the big end rebuilt. I needed to rebush the small end, but L88s are full floaters. Anyway, I think it was $275 or so for all that, including the new bronze bushings and sizing both ends.

Short answer - rebuild them and use them. If you're a kid OR retired with time on your hands polishing down the beams is easy, fun and likely useless.

But they sure do look good! smile.gif

Interesting how many of us approach things from the same angle. The only new parts in my engine are the cam/lifter/springs/rockers, oil pump, timing chain and of course the bearings and rings. Everthing else is recycled from what was in the motor when it came apart or what was in the garage when it went back together - whatever added up to a complete engine! A little elbow grease and a little remachining goes a long way. Nothing against the aftermarket, there's a lot good to great product out there, but the factory core parts were rather good.