[opeliac]

What do you guys think on this subject? It is a 482ci twin turbo combo...

I am leaning towards a Molnar crank, and Oliver Max rods...

Opinions?

[Tom Vaught]

What kind of power are you looking to make?

Tom V.

[mgarblik]

Quality aluminum connecting rods, like BME give you a tremendous safety margin as far at tuning a new combination. Along with the great durability and light weight, the cushion effect of the soft aluminum rods on the bearings, crankshaft and block allows for a much wider tuning window while making big power and working out the boost, fuel and timing maps. Unless you have a plug and play, tried and true tune-up at the HP level you want to run, that would be my recommendation.

[opeliac]

Originally Posted by Tom Vaught

What kind of power are you looking to make?

Tom V.

2200-2400

Will see street duty as well, so I’d rather not use Aluminum.

[Elarson]

Bill Miller is a fascinating and highly opinionated guy. He gave us LOTS of useful direction for our projects. It's interesting (and reasonable to this engineer) that he says that aluminum rods are ok for street use. While it's true that connecting rods on the street accumulate lots of cycles, they are at very low stress (assuming you keep the rpm low) and therefore not a risk to the life of the rods. Drag racing is high stress but low number of cycles, so that's why they're fine for that application. The application that is wholly unsatisfactory from a fatigue standpoint is circle track and road racing where you have the combination of high stress AND a high number of cycles.

All that being said, choosing steel rods for a street/strip application such as yours is certainly a reasonable decision....but you do give up the cushioning effects that Mike mentioned, when you're stompin' on it.

FWIW:
Eric

[steve25]

Since you will be driving so much power into the crank you should only consider a 8 counter weight crank.

From talking with the Butlers a number of years ago in Ohio when they where at the 1800 hp level they where running Oliver bilet rods, but not running Aluminum at the HP level your shooting at for the sake of street running and not having to touch the bottom end for a good long time is a mistake!

[Tom Vaught]

Originally Posted by Tom Vaught

What kind of power are you looking to make?

Tom V.

1900 HP vs 2400 HP, for example, is a big stretch in looking for a rod recommendation. Tom V.

[taff2]

Lots of performance Brit bikes ran alloy rods as standard back in the '70's as I remember. I prefer ali rods in a big boost combo (and even in a lower boost combo), I prefer the forged type ali rod over the billet machined ali rod- BME looks good although costly. MGP too. I use a set of Brooks B2 ali rods, spec'd for a 2500hp combo although I'll never see over 1500 - and this is the key I believe, overspec by a fair margin and you'll never break them.
I previously used a set of 7" Hemi fuel rods (used) in my n/a 406 and put over 300 ten and 9 second runs on the engine.

[opeliac]

Originally Posted by Tom Vaught

1900 HP vs 2400 HP, for example, is a big stretch in looking for a rod recommendation. Tom V.

Would you say that a rod capable of 2400hp, would not work in a 1900hp combo?

[Tom Vaught]

I would say that is a generic question as posted (addressed to me).

Will the rod you pick (that is capable of running a full season at 2400 hp) survive for two full seasons at 1900 HP? Not going to find answers like that posting on the PY Board, but if you talk to (for example) Bill Miller and asked him the question you probably would get some good estimations. How long do you want the rods to survive?

If you screw up the tune-up are you going to blame the rod maker if the rod fails?

I have seen BME aluminum rods live for 10 years in a "street" car engine that could run 10 second times. Obviously Mike and Eric have experience with engines at a higher HP than you are assuming and using different fuel. I have seen rods fail in one pass on Don G's dragster engine.

They recommended Bill Miller, as would I in this case.
I have no experience with GRP or MPG aluminum rods.
I have owned several sets of Bill Miller rods over the years and they have always been quality parts.

Tom V.

[GTOGEORGE]

Aluminum rod........GRP!
Billet crank.....Moldex!
Simply the best.

GTO George

[Dragncar]

Fully counter weighted billet crank and BME aluminum rods. You could run their Hemi rod and forget about breaking it and still have the cushion properties of aluminum if you wanted to go past their 396 rod.

[opeliac]

Originally Posted by Tom Vaught

I would say that is a generic question as posted (addressed to me).

Will the rod you pick (that is capable of running a full season at 2400 hp) survive for two full seasons at 1900 HP? Not going to find answers like that posting on the PY Board, but if you talk to (for example) Bill Miller and asked him the question you probably would get some good estimations. How long do you want the rods to survive?

If you screw up the tune-up are you going to blame the rod maker if the rod fails?

I have seen BME aluminum rods live for 10 years in a "street" car engine that could run 10 second times. Obviously Mike and Eric have experience with engines at a higher HP than you are assuming and using different fuel. I have seen rods fail in one pass on Don G's dragster engine.

They recommended Bill Miller, as would I in this case.
I have no experience with GRP or MPG aluminum rods.
I have owned several sets of Bill Miller rods over the years and they have always been quality parts.

Tom V.

I was asking the question here just in case there is someone that has already done what I am planning to do...I know what some Chevy engines use for rods and crank at the level that I am shooting for...I just figured it wouldnt hurt to ask here.

[Half-Inch Stud]

My non-race opinion on Aluminum rods: GRP makes high-HP AL rods that jmay be better than BME. GRP service is gooder. There I said it. Ask for Woody. No more Ti-Rods from GRP.

Steel may be the better rod material for this Thread Application. but i never did such, so I dunno.

[cgeise]

I ran MGP aluminum and the rod bearings looked way better than with an Oliver ---

[Tom Vaught]

Originally Posted by opeliac

I was asking the question here just in case there is someone that has already done what I am planning to do...I know what some Chevy engines use for rods and crank at the level that I am shooting for...I just figured it wouldnt hurt to ask here.

Probably 500 chevy guys running aluminum rods in that HP neighborhood.

So what ARE you planning to do with this 2400 HP engine?

Tom V.

[GTOGEORGE]

Originally Posted by opeliac

I was asking the question here just in case there is someone that has already done what I am planning to do...I know what some Chevy engines use for rods and crank at the level that I am shooting for...I just figured it wouldnt hurt to ask here.

Parts don't know what make engine it is.....!


GTO George

[GTOGEORGE]

I had factory 455 SD rods, Eagle rods and Oliver rods in my Supercharged engines and the Aluminum were the BEST for the rod bearings..........not even close!


GTO George

[Dragncar]

Thing is, a Molnar Pontiac forged is not really any better than a Scat. Both do not have all the counterweights.
The highest HP pushed though one of those I know of is 1500 HP with Kinsler on spray. And you have Marty 1600 HP (RA V crank ?)
You can buy a BBC Molnar fully counterweight,ed crank for 900$. Forged cranks like those do not exist for Pontiacs.
BTW, I asked Mr. Molnar what it would take to make some for us and he said 150K for the tooling and sitting on them for 10 years before you get your investment. Not going to happen.

At any rate, I suspect any BBC pushing 2400 HP with TTs has the type of forged crank that has never been available for Pontiacs. That is why the Pontiac big dogs run billet. Not because its any stronger, just fully counterweight,ed.
I will never build a 2400 HP TT Pontiac. But would not even let it enter my mind to try and do it with a Scat or Molanr crank. End up scrap metal.

[opeliac]

Originally Posted by Tom Vaught

Probably 500 chevy guys running aluminum rods in that HP neighborhood.

So what ARE you planning to do with this 2400 HP engine?

Tom V.

Its going in a drag week style chassis car with working AC...Outside of drag week, it will get short drives around town, and every now and then the trailer will stay at home and i'll drive it to the track...

Just a toy with no specific class in mind other than driving it and seeing how fast it can go...

BES just built a BBC for my best friend's car...Same exact plans as mine...Tony put Oliver Max rods in it...