Xu10J4Rs Gt3582R Steel Crank

[dimmadave 0]

I dont think standards rods would be up to the task of 500+ hp even if mircopolished and shot peened

[petert 551]

I spin my Chinese rods to 8200. They're done 8 seasons of racing now.

[dcc 855]

I know of a set of PEC rods making 720bhp at 7750 in a 2.0 ew, holding strong 2.0bar boost.

[Sandy 189]

Apart from the often poor tolerance and linearity of the tunnels... Compression load isn't the issue, the issue with most cheap rods and the numerous failures I've seen, are fatigue failures from the stress raised around the bolt head counter bore, where it edges out. Boosted engines at moderate revs are the least likely applications to show this up, higher revving competition engines are the most likely and that's what all the ones I've seen have been. The bolts are usually blamed, despite the fact they always showed a bending failure (because the cap has opened up first).

 

PEC rod, looks like the bearing moved first in this one, typical oil starvation XU10 (not mine by the way!) Eagle eyes will see it has top quality bolts fitted too, but they don't like bending either.

Edited November 23, 2016 by Sandy

[Sandy 189]

On the left here, is what's left of a Cat Cams rod I used in one of my early 1600 TU engines. It did three seasons at Castle Combe no bother (won the saloon championship outright on the last) and then failed in the all-comers sports race after. Because the car ran slicks rather than List 1A tyres in that race, I assumed it would be an oil surge related failure, even though I've never seen a TU show oil surge damage before (or since), but on inspection, the remnants of the bearing from the failed rod, still had nice matt surface, no wipe at all. It was a straightforward fatigue failure of the cap around the bolt hole counterbore.

 

On the right is a Robson rod from a 1600 Zetec-SE engine of mine, that had an oil pump failure and the driver kept going. Incredibly, the tag-less bearing didn't spin; and although the heat generated heavily distorted the rod, it didn't fail, which meant damage was limited to crank and rods, which I was grateful for, because i didn't fancy having to do another one of those heads. That last point is relevant, because when good quality parts are used, if there is a failure, secondary failures tend to be less severe and the rebuild time and cost reduction is often way in excess of the extra cost of the decent parts.

 

You make your choices and it many cases you'll get away with it. I can't gamble with what's expected of my engines or the misery that ensues when they do let go, because of cheap bits.

Edited November 23, 2016 by Sandy

[woodymi16 24 2 Cars]

On the left here, is what's left of a Cat Cams rod I used in one of my early 1600 TU engines. It did three seasons at Castle Combe no bother (won the saloon championship outright on the last) and then failed in the all-comers sports race after. Because the car ran slicks rather than List 1A tyres in that race, I assumed it would be an oil surge related failure, even though I've never seen a TU show oil surge damage before (or since), but on inspection, the remnants of the bearing from the failed rod, still had nice matt surface, no wipe at all. It was a straightforward fatigue failure of the cap around the bolt hole counterbore.

 

On the right is a Robson rod from a 1600 Zetec-SE engine of mine, that had an oil pump failure and the driver kept going. Incredibly, the tag-less bearing didn't spin; and although the heat generated heavily distorted the rod, it didn't fail, which meant damage was limited to crank and rods, which I was grateful for, because i didn't fancy having to do another one of those heads. That last point is relevant, because when good quality parts are used, if there is a failure, secondary failures tend to be less severe and the rebuild time and cost reduction is often way in excess of the extra cost of the decent parts.

 

You make your choices and it many cases you'll get away with it. I can't gamble with what's expected of my engines or the misery that ensues when they do let go, because of cheap bits.

Sandy, money no object who is your preferred supplier?

[welshpug 1,622]

[Sandy 189]

Sandy, money no object who is your preferred supplier?

 

I use Carrillo where possible, their A-beam designs are generally lighter with a slimmer profile and very strong, ideal for N/A applications, but the quality/price of Robson and there endless willingness to accept my design changes as I evolve the engines is important.