how do you seat rod bolts before final assembly?

mike911996 · 01-06-2012, 03:34 PM

ok....kinda long story...

...i purchased a set of reconditioned rods from a third party who had previously sent them out to a machine shop to resurface them and put new bushings in the small end.

...the machine shop apparently inserted the rod bolts (ARP) backwards before stretching them...i didnt notice this when i bought them

just to be clear... the side of the bolt with the tangs was where the nut should be and vice versa.....weird i know...how did they torque them up with the bolt not seating in against the rod?? i dont know....but apparently they did...

so anyway....i, with the aid of a rubber mallet, banged them all out to put them in the correct way, have run into a problem i can't solve....

i cant get the rod bolts all the way in at all....there is like 1/2 thread coming out the bottom...not enough to start the nut

i did bang some in with the mallet so a few more threads poked through and then cinched them up with the nut but now i cant seperate the halfs to put them on the crank....

so i guess my basic question is...How do you insert the ARP rod bolts into the rod all the way before you go to put them together around the crank and then torque?

lubrication?

press?

ajwans · 01-07-2012, 05:28 AM

Sounds like you have the wrong bolts for the type of rod you have. Mine went
in with finger pressure. Post pictures.

andy

fastfredracing · 01-07-2012, 12:51 PM

Are you familiar with 911 engines? The rod bolts go in upside down as compared to most conventional motors.

KTL · 01-08-2012, 08:56 AM

Remember that the rod bolts in factory rods act as an alignment means for the rod and cap. The shank of the bolt acts as a drift to establish precise alignment. So the fit between them must be a tight fit.

My Pauter rods are different in that they use alignment sleeves and the bolts simply slip into the rod & cap. However the sleeves are a minor press fit and you can't just pull the rod & cap apart when the bolt is removed. So you have to use the rod bolts to pop the cap off. I incrementally loosen the bolts until I get about a 1/4 in. bolt stickout and then tap the cap off with a rubber mallet. In your case, if the mallet doesn't have clearance, use a plastic or brass dowel to tap the bolts.