Connecting Rod Ends are Okay!!!!!!!

[Andras]

You guys asked for an update on the rod ends, so here it is!

As y'all will remember, 4 out of 6 piston rings were broken, one piston land was broken, and Wayne suggested that we check the rod end, as he thought that detonation might have "slammed" the rod onto the crank.

So I bought a pair of rod bolts and nuts, we removed the offending piston (the one with the broken land, rings, and the most carbon build-up, and then miked them.

Zero, no problem, the miking showed that there was no ovality, and the bearing looked very clean and unscuffed. A little dark, as if it had borne up under 80,000 miles, but no jiggle when on the crank, and no apparent wear. The micrometer told the tale.

So we dodged that bullet, and once I get the pistons and cylinders, we'll put the engine (motor?) back together again.

The heads are being done as we speak (so to speak), and we'll report on the chassis dyno results, comparing it to the pre-tear-down results of 158 HP at the wheels.

Stay tuned!!!!