1971 340 Build - Choosing piston rings dilemma

krazykuda said
I've had good results with speed pro/sealed power rings... As far as con rods, I like to buy new bolts and have the stock ones reconditioned... Stock rods have oil squirt holes that oil the bore opposite to it... Some of the new aftermarket rods do not... I like squirt holes in my rods to help keep the bores oiled... If there is too much oil on the bore, the oil ring will take care of that... If you don't have enough oil on the bores, you do more wear and damage to the rings, pistons, and bores... I prefer to error on the side of too much oil vs not enough...

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Yes I agree with you there. I much prefer the OEM stuff made in America or Canada in the 70s to chinese made stuff in my cars. Even if it is strictly monitored by an American company. However there is no denying that there are many thousands of happy customers with SCAT rods in their engines and many turning high RPMs too. The oil hole is a very good point. However there is one main thing going against me using the original rods. Like an idiot, I think I sold them. I looked through my records and I sold some 340 rods, possibly from this engine, since I can't find them. I don't know what was going through my head, and only $50 too (Aust dollars), what a fool. This was back 10 years ago. I bought this engine back in 2009, complete engine, and it was a bargain at $1000 (about $650 US$) even though it was seized, but only one bore was responsible and the block cleaned up nice at 030. That leads me to the rods again... I have a set of low mile 273 rods I was considering (they are all bushed as you know) ... And before anyone laughs - I was getting new ARP bolts of course but also was going to get them cryo treated; there's a place in Sydney with a cryogenic facility and does a lot of drag racer's parts in there he says. Each cycle takes about 6 days for the full cycle: slow lowering, the retention and the ultra slow bringing back to room temperature. Which means that the rods will be as strong, or even stronger, than when they left the factory. Also this engine is only a mild engine, not more than 350-370HP I'd guess. However I would still be a bit reluctant to use 273 rods! Knowing that that's what they are.