Connecting Rod Color?

[64 SRT8 Dart]

Hey everyone,
I purchased a 318 a few days ago and got it torn down. The motor ended up having a spun main bearing. Well, I just cleaned the rods up today and one of them has a way different coloration then the rest, it's a kind of bronze/copper color...see pic.
Anyone got any ideas??

Oh yeah, does anyone have the link that shows the oil passage modifications you can do to the smallblock to help oil everything better? I saw it on here once before, I think a member posted them sometime. Can't find it.

 

[rumblefish360]

I think Guitar Jones did the oil mod thread.... crap, I can remember at this hour... do a search, it should pop up.

I found it via key wrd in a title search;
Click here ---> http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=103623&highlight=interested

I've had different color rods before and I have no explaination of why, but they all worked fine up to and including 400+hp.

 

[64 SRT8 Dart]

Thanks Rumblefish. Wanting to do some mods on the 318 to try to keep bearing failure down.

 

[pishta]

If the rod is oversized in the bushing or the rod cap, they dip it in copper plate to build it back up to spec. Funny seeing 2 or 3 in there.

 

[64 SRT8 Dart]

Actually the inside of the rod end was copper colored too. Thanks.

 

[64 SRT8 Dart]

Oh, it was the number 4 main that went as well, which seems to be the pattern on some of the posts in GuitarJones thread. It looked very starved of oil and beat up/mis-shapen.

 

[swinger340]

A local engine builder told me that the copper coating was put on rods by mopar on the rods that the bearing tolerances were a little to sloppy, to take up .001-.002. Not sure if that is a fact or not but that is what i was told. He told me to stay away from them becauce the coating wears off after a while. I had 2 in one of my 360s. I wasnt sure, so i replaced them. Probably would have been fine for all i know.

 

[moper]

The copper rods are just what was said... Clad in copper to build back up the bearing surface. Usually this was done and thne the pin and crank ends were machined so the copper may be partially evident inside the bearing or pin bores. Nothing worng with using them, so long as the holes are "in spec".

 

[clifftt]

I remember a buddy of mine wire brushing all his 273 rods and they looked copper. Like Moper said, I think Mom Chrysler copper coated them back I the day. Have you tried wire brushing the others to verify?

 

[clifftt]

Wow! Just realized how old this post is. Oh dopey me!!