Quote:

---

No power adders here. And even though I don't much care for elvis his experience with GRP rods has me sold on them.

---

I got a set of GRP alum rods for my BB B1 M/C engine

Quote:

---

Can't wait to try my new aluminum crank....LOL

---

Plastic is the way to go...top secret stealth bomber stuff I've always heard 500 on alum rods.

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

Can't wait to try my new aluminum crank....LOL

---

Plastic is the way to go...top secret stealth bomber stuff I've always heard 500 on alum rods.

---

I wonder if they can nitrid that plastic stuff? Make it even more unobtanium.

Now back to reality. When I spoke with someone from GRP he told me that when they tested their rods the failures where always the bolts. And these are the finest arp bolts made.

Quote:

---

Current engine builder insisted on GOOD steel rods[C&A] and ok after 2 builds and 10 years. 820hp and 7800rpm. Your results may vary.

---

I would certainly listen to him!!

Although I think you are ok bigdog I would say 400 passes about max, or 3 years. I don't like aluminum, always afraid they will break and results are catastrophic. Over rev and they stretch. Not gonna happen with steel.

Quote:

---

Thank you all for your replies, I think I will order a new set just to be on the safe side, even though the engine is diapered, you never know what will happen and would rather error on the side of caution!

---

Quote:

---

There are BBC racers over on DragRaceResults with 600+ on the GRP's.

---

Quote:

---

Geez after reading this post I can't understand why anyone
Would want to run aluminum rods. Seems like a huge waste of money
Hell one guy has over 100 rods laying around!!! That's got to be
Over $10,000 worth. Could have installed twin turbos with all that wasted money
Why not just buy a set of Oliver billet steels and be done with it??

---

Quote:

---

The bottom line seems to be the more cycles you flex the rod the sooner you need to change it, the killer question is how much flex is too much

---

That reminds me...

Steel has a point that you can flex it to where it will not cause any degradation. Flex it over the point and it starts to weaken.

With Alumininum, ANY flexing weakens it.

IIRC that is

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

The bottom line seems to be the more cycles you flex the rod the sooner you need to change it, the killer question is how much flex is too much

---

That reminds me...

Steel has a point that you can flex it to where it will not cause any degradation. Flex it over the point and it starts to weaken.

With Alumininum, ANY flexing weakens it.

IIRC that is

---

Quote:

---

I wouldn't run steel rods if you gave them to me. Steel rods take all the vibration from detonation and put it into the crank. The crank is bouncing and shaking in a cast iron block. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that cast iron will crack after being beat on that much. Look at a steel rod engines main caps then look at the one running alluminum rods. Alluminum rods for me I have ran them for 15 years without ever having a rod failure. Some had over 1,000 miles on the odometer of pure drag racing.

Leon

---

Quote:

---

Had 80 passes on my Groden rods before breaking one in the water box. Destroyed everything but the bare heads. Now I run Carrillo steel rods.

---

Quote:

---

Had 80 passes on my Groden rods before breaking one in the water box. Destroyed everything but the bare heads. Now I run Carrillo steel rods.

---

Just out of curiosity how many 1000's of RPM were you at in the water box?

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

Had 80 passes on my Groden rods before breaking one in the water box. Destroyed everything but the bare heads. Now I run Carrillo steel rods.

---

Just out of curiosity how many 1000's of RPM were you at in the water box?

---

I've had good luck with aluminum and will continue to use it. Like I said earlier, my BME's were in the car from Jan.2001-Oct.09 without a problem. 75-100 passes a year. My next set will be GRP's and I hope for the same results.

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

Had 80 passes on my Groden rods before breaking one in the water box. Destroyed everything but the bare heads. Now I run Carrillo steel rods.

---

Just out of curiosity how many 1000's of RPM were you at in the water box?

---

I've had good luck with aluminum and will continue to use it. Like I said earlier, my BME's were in the car from Jan.2001-Oct.09 without a problem. 75-100 passes a year. My next set will be GRP's and I hope for the same results. [/quote
It's interesting how many negative opinions there are about aluminum rods. I can't count the times people at the track fire up their race motors, rev the heck out of them cold, go to the burn out box cold, run 42 degrees timing etc, and when something goes wrong, they blame the parts. I'd guess the guy with 2400HP ran al uminum rods, and changes them regularly. Just a guess, but even if they're steel, he changes them regularly.

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

Had 80 passes on my Groden rods before breaking one in the water box. Destroyed everything but the bare heads. Now I run Carrillo steel rods.

---

Just out of curiosity how many 1000's of RPM were you at in the water box?

---

I've had good luck with aluminum and will continue to use it. Like I said earlier, my BME's were in the car from Jan.2001-Oct.09 without a problem. 75-100 passes a year. My next set will be GRP's and I hope for the same results. [/quote
It's interesting how many negative opinions there are about aluminum rods. I can't count the times people at the track fire up their race motors, rev the heck out of them cold, go to the burn out box cold, run 42 degrees timing etc, and when something goes wrong, they blame the parts. I'd guess the guy with 2400HP ran al uminum rods, and changes them regularly. Just a guess, but even if they're steel, he changes them regularly.

---

Good point about running the engine hard when cold. BME wants a minimum oil temp of 125.
I never run my engine hard unless the oil temp is 160 or higher.

Quote:

---

Then there's always the guy who blows a brand new engine in the water box and blames it on the aluminum rods.

---

If my brooks rods can take 10500RPM when I over rev it, then aluminum rods don't break because
of a hi rpm burnout. lol

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

Then there's always the guy who blows a brand new engine in the water box and blames it on the aluminum rods.

---

If my brooks rods can take 10500RPM when I over rev it, then aluminum rods don't break because
of a hi rpm burnout. lol

---

We are building a Indy Maxx 540" with GRPs as we speak,we have two 500" with BMs that have been together for quite a few years also.

Quote:

---

I really said that comment for the shear fact that he is a stick racer and IIRC I have heard his motor wound up somewhere around 9000 RPM(by ear) of course. Gotta think that is hard on just about any part or material out there.

---

Quote:

---

I have run BME's for 600 plus runs for nearly 20 years now. Never a failure. Bill Miller also advises you to never leave the rods torqued for long periods of time during storage. If you plan to store your car for months at a time without running the engine, you should also loosen the rod bolts and re-torque when you are going to be using the car again.
I don't know why this is, so don't ask me. Bill Miller just recommends it "HIGHLY" Seems he doesn't like them torqued for long standing periods.
I have always done this and had great results.
I am currently using GRP 6.535 aluminum rods in my 542" B1.. We will see how these work..



Chris..

---

We were told on BMs to flood the bolts with 30#oil What's up with that?

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

I really said that comment for the shear fact that he is a stick racer and IIRC I have heard his motor wound up somewhere around 9000 RPM(by ear) of course. Gotta think that is hard on just about any part or material out there.

---

In the waterbox: 7000-8000RPM
When I got them, the Groden rods looked less beefy than the BME's we took out after approx 150 runs. Called Groden to make sure they would be OK. He said "my rods are the strongest made" I took him at his word.
I'm slowly building a 270 something ci brand X motor that will spin 10000+. I'll put aluminum rods in it, but they won't be Groden.

---

BTW I love the sound of the high winding small blocks

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

Then there's always the guy who blows a brand new engine in the water box and blames it on the aluminum rods.

---

If my brooks rods can take 10500RPM when I over rev it, then aluminum rods don't break because
of a hi rpm burnout. lol

---

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

I have run BME's for 600 plus runs for nearly 20 years now. Never a failure. Bill Miller also advises you to never leave the rods torqued for long periods of time during storage. If you plan to store your car for months at a time without running the engine, you should also loosen the rod bolts and re-torque when you are going to be using the car again.
I don't know why this is, so don't ask me. Bill Miller just recommends it "HIGHLY" Seems he doesn't like them torqued for long standing periods.
I have always done this and had great results.
I am currently using GRP 6.535 aluminum rods in my 542" B1.. We will see how these work..



Chris..

---

We were told on BMs to flood the bolts with 30#oil What's up with that?

---

Quote:

---

If I remember right, MoparBilly had a set of BME's he had bought used, then put about 750 runs on them before a failure.
Just before that, Brian Downing had a "NEW" set of Manley top dollar steel rods that made a whole 15-20 runs before they totally destroyed their 572". Crank, Mega Block and about everything else junk.

So, I guess you never know.


Chris..

---

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

If I remember right, MoparBilly had a set of BME's he had bought used, then put about 750 runs on them before a failure.
Just before that, Brian Downing had a "NEW" set of Manley top dollar steel rods that made a whole 15-20 runs before they totally destroyed their 572". Crank, Mega Block and about everything else junk.

So, I guess you never know.


Chris..

---

As I recall, he was also running a LOT on N2O on that engine when it failed.

---

My 440 failed about 75 runs after my last N20 use..but I had blown a head gasket and warped the tops of 2 pistons after the last use of my stone age N20 tuneup, and I DID NOT replace the pistons, juset put cometics on it and let it ride. The pass before it broke, it had a funny sound to it, and I returned to the pits, and told my buddies, "I think I broke one of those bad pistons". The next morning we fired it up, and listened to it, and they convinced me to run it...it let go coming out of the water. I dont hold the BMEs responsible for the failure.

My little brother's low deck,-1 headed 504 features 6.53 BME rods. In 15 years, the engine has been through 2 owners, 2 blocks, is about to get it's 2nd set of pistons, has over 1700 runs on it, and he has no intention of replacing the rods.

440 Jim,
My budget only allows for used Aluminum rods. For the 440 rod pin combo's BMEs were cheap, and plentifull. Now that we work into the stroker combo's with the BBC pin, it seems all I can find are GRPs . I'd prefer BME, but my new 517 will have a set of GRPs I got from Jack (Moore and Moore)

Quote:

---

Several people have posted in this topic their good experience with BME aluminum rods, but at the end of their post they say they are currently running GRP aluminum rods.

Why did you guys switch if you had good experience with the BMEs?

---

Quote:

---

Several people have posted in this topic their good experience with BME aluminum rods, but at the end of their post they say they are currently running GRP aluminum rods.

Why did you guys switch if you had good experience with the BMEs?

---