stock 340 rods

New rods are nice and all....but here's what I'm trying to get at. I've torn down and assembled a boatload of engines. Torn down a lot of failed ones. A lot. Probably tore my first one down about 1975. I have YET in all that time to see what I could flat out confirm to be a connecting rod failure. I've seen rod bearings burn up and let the big end go. I've seen rod bolts give it up and let the big end go. I've seen pins sieze in pistons and rod bushings and let the little end go. But I have yet to see one single 100% confirmed connecting rod failure. It has always been something else that was an underlying cause. Does that mean factory rods have never failed cause I ain't ever seen one? Course not. BUT, I think as many engines as I've seen that does make a SHO NUFF failed rod somewhat rare. I'm talkin about factory rods here. Scat and Eagle are both made in China. Does that mean they are junk? No. What that does mean to this old boy is, you damn well better have them inspected seven ways to Sunday before you run um. I actually have that done to any rods I plan to run, stock or otherwise. It's good insurance. By the time you spend the money to have new rods magged and inspected, you're up there in price. Unless you're talkin about an expensive American made high end connecting rod, IMO, a reworked factory rod is hands down the better deal, both in durability and price. But that's just one peon's humble opinion. Take it for what it's worth. Nuthin. lol