Can I access them by removing the oil pan? Or do I have to do more work? Any of you guys done this with relative ease?

 

+1, who's done this with long term success at higher power levels?

There's vfaq's out there describing this man, the procedure is not too bad.

 

I believe you pretty much have to take down the pan and maybe a rigidity brace in the motor, probably the oil pump screen and neck. Haven't done it yet, but you just turn the crank shaft from the harmonic balancer to reach other rod ends than you can't reach to begin with. If your gonna do that, and you don't mind breaking in you motor again for another 500miles, you can change your rod bearings while you are there, Just don't mix the bearings up or the rod caps, usualy I mark them when I rebuild a motor, A sharpy will work just right 1 2 3 4 and arrows that point towards the timing belt. Use Some brake or carb cleaner to clean the suface of the cap so you can mark it with the sharpy. If you want to you can use a punch and use that to put dimples in the rod cap to mark them, Just don't mix them up no matter what.

 

what is the exact torque of the rod bolts?

 

getting ready to put rod studs and main studs

 

I was planning on doing the same thing in the future, when I do my 60000 maintenance, I will add headstuds, ported head, springs retainers, and rod bolts.