OK, so I went low on oil, and after talking to my mechanic he is saying I have a burned out #1 rod and will need atleast 1 new rod and a crank.

So, I know the rods are the weak part in the evo, and figure now is a good time to replace them all since it has be to opened up anyway.

So, I already have an FP green, and about as far as I would want to go with additional mods would be maybe a bigger fuel pump and bigger injectors. Car will never see more than 500 WHP (currently dynoed at 424WHP)

so my questions are

1.) If I upgrade just my rods, can I expect more power if I get retuned, and If i do get retuned, would I need to upgrade my fuel pump and injectors?

2.) how do the manley H rods compare to the stock evo X rods? Should I go I rod, and what does the additional weight of a rod mean in regards to engine performance? Should I just go for the strongest possible even if my car will never see over 500WHP?

3.) should I also upgrade my pistons at the same time since I am there already?

4.) pistons... Is a piston a piston? Like does the weight and shape make any difference on engine performance or reliability or is it more about tolerances and going with a trusted name?


5.) are there any other parts I should be upgrading at this time? (head gasket, studs, valves anything?)


I guess since this is going to cost me money, that i wasnt planning on spending it would be nice to get something out of it, even if its just some low end grunt, or a bit more HP. I know since I have a green, that could limit my gains, but realistically, if I upgrade all these parts, what kind of additional power potential could I be looking at especially since I wont be limited to 375ft/lbs or less torque if I retune? Or will doing this more or less just add more reliability?

 

bump

 

Hey man, I'd like to answer your questions as best I can:


1.) If I upgrade just my rods, can I expect more power if I get retuned, and If i do get retuned, would I need to upgrade my fuel pump and injectors?

At your power level I would recommend 1000cc injectors-if you already don't have them- if you plan on just using pump gas. If you plan on using e85 will need to go bigger. Also I recommend a drop in fuel pump- either the new DW65C direct replacement for pump gas or an Aeromotive 340 for E85


2.) how do the manley H rods compare to the stock evo X rods? Should I go I rod, and what does the additional weight of a rod mean in regards to engine performance? Should I just go for the strongest possible even if my car will never see over 500WHP?

Almost any aftermarket rod will be stronger than the stock rod. H beam vs I beam means a difference in strength as well as weight. The I beams are stronger because of the profile of the rod-but because they have more material they weigh a little more than H beams. I am of the opinion that you should always build for more power than you plan on just for safety and should you decide you want more power down the road you don't have your motor holding you back. As far as rod weight- the lighter the rod the faster you rev- but you probably won't notice the difference

3.) should I also upgrade my pistons at the same time since I am there already?

In a short answer yes. Since you are having to go through the cost and expense of building the motor a good set of aftermarket pistons are always a good idea.

4.) pistons... Is a piston a piston? Like does the weight and shape make any difference on engine performance or reliability or is it more about tolerances and going with a trusted name?

There are several factors that go into piston choice- everyone will have different opinions as to which brand you should choose but it is best to go with a well known brand ie JE, Wiesco ect. Up until recently most companies offered replacement full round pistons, but now they offer asymmetrical pistons for reduced drag and weight. They have larger piston skirts on the power side for strength and smaller for reduced drag on the up stroke. Changing the compression will also affect how the motor reacts and makes power through the rpm range.


5.) are there any other parts I should be upgrading at this time? (head gasket, studs, valves anything?)

When you build a motor I always recommend doing a full gasket kit. Upgraded head studs are also essential to seal the head to the block when you start turning up the boost.


I guess since this is going to cost me money, that i wasnt planning on spending it would be nice to get something out of it, even if its just some low end grunt, or a bit more HP. I know since I have a green, that could limit my gains, but realistically, if I upgrade all these parts, what kind of additional power potential could I be looking at especially since I wont be limited to 375ft/lbs or less torque if I retune? Or will doing this more or less just add more reliability?


If you build a motor right it should last a long time- as far as power you can safely run more boost and make more torque with a built bottom end but it all depends on part selection and proper tuning to ensure that you make good power reliably .

Feel free to PM me or give me a call here at the shop if you have any questions or want to talk further! 703 352-3535

Best of luck on your rebuild.

 

Thanks those were the kind of answers I was looking for. I guess I have a lot of work ahead of me

I think figuring out what rods to get are going to be the hardest part. I have an FP green turbo, and I know I will never swap turbos again so I will be limited to what ever power level the green will allow, which I think is far lower than the need for like a 1000HP rod. I think 400TQ and 500HP would be the max my car would ever see.

374TQ now and 425HP

 

Since the motor is being built, you could always send the turbo in and get it built to be a FP black. I just can't see building a motor for 500+ and using a green.

You could look into cams too..

 

Um, before wondering about rods and pistons I would be looking at why you went low on oil??? WTF happened man??