Titanium rods ?

Who would be in for a group build on Ti rods? The same rod would fit 308/328/348/TR/400 I think. I'm thinking just copy the 355/360 rod basically.

I can get them wire EDM'd out of the plate so there is very little material waste. That would make the material cost would be about $100-$125 per rod then the final price would depend on who can do what part of the machining and what needs to be contracted out.

Anybody else?

 

Mark the piston pin bore is different on the 355/360 from the 308~348.

 

yes, copy with that small change...although I think a bigger diameter wrist pin is probably better.
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I THINK the bigger wrist pin is to distribute the loads better into the piston...could be wrong, but it would do that.

If it ends up just me I doubt I'll make rods, it's just too much work. Since labor is free the cost woukld be low, $150 each maybe.

I think I may have just gotten 6 355 rods that might be servicable....that would change the balance a bit too.

 

mk e : I understand your concerns with used rods in a new engine. But as an engine builder, I can't guarantee my customers that when their engine comes in for a freshen -up, the new parts I'm putting in are going to last longer than the parts I'm replacing. Parts fail, whether new or used. Especially in race engines. You can only try to inspect the parts you're putting in, replace used rod bolts with new ones , check all your clearances, and hope there is no defect you can't see. I personally wouldn't be afraid to use a set of used rods, as long as I inspected them, used new bolts, resized them myself, and also saw the pistons they came off of. Any evidence of piston to cylinder head contact, and I wouldn't use them.
The only time I've seen problems on the moly coating was when a bearing had spun or something else had caused the rod to lose its side clearance. Titanium rods taken out of Sunoco dirt late model engines with 1800-2000 laps at 9000 rpm (that I've seen) haven't shown any flaking or other problems with the coating. I suspect the coating would have a very long life, it's the same coating put on titanium valve stems-- now there's a part that has alot of movement with little oil contact and relies on the coating to prevent seizing.
If you already have 6 355 rods, it sounds like you're on you way to getting an engine together. If you still need 2 rods, you could PM bowbells (Arthur Dent), not sure if he has anything for sale, but I know he has some parts for the bottom end of a 355.
Good luck

 

You're probably right. The key to putting my mind at ease would be if they have or resize to a clean surface inside the big end.

I'll shoot him a PM, thanks for the lead

I still need 6 more, if the first 6 come through and clean-up nicely.

It's for this mess of a project
http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=170171

 

Looks like a cool project. I forgot you're the one doing the V-12 build.
If I can think of anyone else that might have some used rods, I'll let you know.
Good luck.

 

...and the same guy that would weld the snot out of a block and figure it's fine would be worried abou perfectly good looking used rods, but I do plan on just plain abusing them


On another note, do the ferrari Ti rods have a weight match code like the steel rod?

If so does anybody know what they are and what they mean?

 

Yes they do, ...
A 380~384
B 384~388
C 388~392
D 392~396
E 396~400
F 400~404
G 404~408

looks like 4gr increments. these weights are complete with bushes and bolts assymbled.

 

Thanks Scott.

 

I don't know what to do with that info....it doesn't seem to do anything.

 

Is this it:
http://www.thebestemployee.com/forum/showthread.php?p=137481437#10

 

In my calling around looking for rods I've come across about 5 sets of 6 rods from 355s with blown bottom ends but no similar 360s sets which are supposed to be the same making me wonder why that is. Does anybody know of something that changed that might account for this? Or maybe it's not a pattern at all and just random probablility in a low sample size?

 

I don't know the answer. Normally the damper is to stop the crank from breaking, it shouldn't cause or prevent rod bearing issues.

 

I don't.....I was told they're the same part number but there coiuld be a revision or some kind. It could also be the 360 got the thinner bearings and the 355 had the larger ones?? I don't know... and maybe it's not a real issue anyway.

 

It would since those (355) are most likely the rods I'll be using.

 

I looked up the part numbers for the rods, main bearings and the rod bearings for the 355 numbers are all different for all 3 parts as compared to the 360. hope that helps.

 

Might be that Ferrari didn't use the kluber grease as a balancer in the flywheel of the 360 as was used in the 355. The grease and the front balancer I assume go hand in hand.