In the above, you are talking about ARP recommending replacing bolts with .001 plastic deformation. Then right after you talking about elastic deformation, which does not count towards plastic deformation.
Quality rod bolts have a smooth barrel, typically not a knurled shank, that is pressed into a bore of the rod which centers it in the bore. The cap is then installed centering itself, on the two rod bolts. This is as precise as you can produce a rod. Quality rod bolts have spherical "dimples" on both ends of the rod bolt which index the micrometer or stretch gage.
Way to twist information around.... #-o
The reason that I "talked about elastic deformation" as you reference, is that the ARP write up says to measure a bolt stretch gauge when tightening the bolt. I am pointing out that this method is reading both plastic and elastic deformation. There is no way to tell how much plastic deformation is there with that method.
Please post up some examples with pictures of these "quality rod bolts" with dimples for measuring bolt stretch.....
Production tolerances on cold headed products is not accurate enough to use for bolt stretch studies. As I have said now for the third time, to do a proper bolt stretch study, you need to have the bolt ends ground flat and centered by a machinist.