Originally posted by Buckshot77:
All bickering and such aside, NOBODY here can actually prove what the limit of the stock rods is, everything is pure theory. Most people usually figure engineers design to twice the anticipated load on the parts. If you take that into account then the stock design was set for 200 HP and 160's tq. In other words Tom you're most likely at the threshold limit of the stock items and as Keyser put it, it's only been a few thousand miles. Until someone puts up the money to fatigue test and limit test several NEW sets of these PM rods, then I wouldn't want to be the one pushing the limits. Also take into account unless you buy a brand new shortblock from Bill J all of these motors have some use on the all ready.
For those that think this is all great news that the stock rods can handle this much power, consider this scenario. Tom can buy and build his stock engines for $1500, so can I, so can several other people. Most people however are paying to have their motors built and possibly paying for the installation as well. Do you want to be the guinea pig with over $5-6K invested in a single motor installed? $900 for a set of rods is a heck of a lot of insurance in my book.
Rick
The point is a good one except you have to remember that ford uses the identical rods in the Jaguar, debuting at 240 HP and 200+ something ft-lbs of torque. Double that and you are over 400 ft-lbs of torque at the crank.
Hell the Taurus/escape motors are rated at 200 ft-lbs so that equates to 400 ft-lbs.
Therefore I stand by what I said that the average rod can support 400 HP on these motors. It is the pistons I am more scared of.
Former owner of '99 CSVT - Silver #222/2760
356/334 wHP/TQ at 10psi on pump gas!
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