connecting rod question

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63dartman

63dartman

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I am starting my first rebuild on a 79 360....I want to keep the cost down so I am having the block and crank reconditioned at my local machine shop. My question is, Do I need to have anything done to the rods before the rebuild? the engine hand turns with no issues that I can see. Also checked the rod side clearance before tearing it down and it was good. I really don't know much about rebuilding so I am probably going to be putting in overtime on the forum......engine is going to be running the kb373 pistons, semi mild cam for street manners and stock 915 heads with headers, 3.23 gears. Hope you guys can help. Don't want to tear it back down because I missed something. Thanks again.
 
The main thing on rods is how straight they are. They should not bend to the left or right or backwards or fowards. They should not look like there in the middle of a twist. (I feel like Dr. Suess) Big ends should be round and the like for the small ends.
If you allready put these into the engine, I'm guessing your machinest should have picked up a problem easy and told you about it, straightened it all out before he/she installed the pistons on the rods.
No news is good news.
Then theres balanceing the whole rotating assembly. It's worth the $300 (?) or so price and taking it back out to do it.

Otherwise, stock rod s will do fine and could use a shot peening and polish with good rod bolts to max them out. But, stock is fine.
 
The rods are fine where they were. But, you should replace the rod bolts with good ones. When you so that, the rod big ends distorts, and the rod must be re-sized. So, they need to be resized for any rebuild before I'd use them.
 
If it were me, I'd shot peen the rods, install new high strength bolts and have them resized.

I'd also have the bottom end balanced. I've always read that mopar wasnt too great at the factory balancing their engines, basically its a matter of durability, smoothness and power which you get from balancing. Just remember that a 360 is externally balanced, there is balancing weight in the vibration damper, and the torque converter that needs to be considered when balancing the crank etc. Your machinist should know this if you go forward, give him the vib damper and inform him about the torque converter weights.
 
63DARTMAN, some good advise there from Rumblefish, Moper and 66Dart. Listen to them. Resize those rods and use good quality rod bolts. Easy and cheap insurance. Good luck, Terry.
 
Thanks for the info Dr. Suess and the rest. (just kidding)....I didn't realize how many different aspects there are to the rods. My engine is currently sitting in the middle of my garage floor while I contemplate just getting the mopar 360 shortblock from jeg's or wherenot. Just not sure which way to go. As far as easiest it's the shortblock. I just have concerns about quality, anyone use the 360 shortblock from mopar with good results? I am leaving for california next week and may have to put all this on hold till I get back(3 months ojt). I guess that will give me time to figure it out. again, I want to thank all of you for the help. Mark
 
I used a create shortblock, the 10-1 vesion and was very VERY dissapointed. Pistons were zero deck on the passenger side, positive decked on the drivers side with number 1 being .010 positive and graduating to .012 by number 8 piston. The decks were machined to different deck heights.
Nice, real nice.
 
i'd send the block and pistons to the machinist.
have the rods reconditioned and new bolts
block decked
port match intake & heads before valve job
if the machinist is good after he measures every thing
he will tell you anything else you need
i like to use a seasoned block,rods,crank as a starting point
clean bores up with a torque plate in place
degree new cam, while you are doing this make sure your
dial indicator and harmonic dampner agree where tdc is.
i've seen balancers off alittle
add some stall and a shift kit if its an auto car
light the fuse and hang on
 
Thanks for all the great info....really sad to hear that the crate shortblocks may have issues. I really like the responses. Thanks a bunch. It looks like I will do just what you guys recommended. As time permits. I will let everyone know how it goes.
 
63DARTMAN, Please advise as to how your progress is going and LONGARM, you are right about the balancers needing to be checked for TDC. Out of about a hundred, I've only seen a handful that don't lie. Even the expensive fluid dampners are usually off a couple of degrees. I have had to remark every one of my own balncers. Expensive or not. Terry.
 
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