Thoughts and opinions on used Pistons and all connecting rods

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71dusterdan

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Been plugging away on my car recently and I am now charged up to start on my engine. The budget is starting to squeak! So I am considering looking for forged .30 over 340 pistons. Then for connecting rods, my 1st machine shop didn't want to work with my stock rods, wouldn't even look at them. Just said buy new. Well I have a problem with the notion of throwing Chinese rods in my 340. Before this Chinese stuff arrived we reconditioned and improved on our original rods all the time. So I went to another reputable shop. They had no problem with the idea of doing my rods. I'm sure I will have $250-300 in them by the time I get ARP bolts. So looking for thoughts and opinions. If you have lightly used +.30 forged 340 Pistons, I am looking. Thanks
 
stock 340 rods weight in at 730 grams..plus or minus...

scat 4340 i beam...585 grams.....yes..made in china...

got no name H beam Chinese rods in 360 since 2006...have seen over 7000 rpm....

had stock 340 rods...beams polished...arp wave lock bolts.. shot peened...broke on 5th pass down the track earlier this year.....yeah...I know what i would use...

And use whatever lets you sleep at night.........
 
Using the stock rods kinda depends on the HP you plan to have....running in the 10 second range is around 500 HP, +/1 depending on weight. Also the max RPM range you expect. I ran stock rods in a 351C for years to 6500 rpm all day long, but was only at around 300 HP.
 
IMO, mag em, shot peen em, resize em, ARP em, use em. Used 340+.030 pistons are o.k. as long as you check em, measure em, fit em. Measure EVERYTHING, check EVERYTHING 10 times. Good luck.
 
In reading your comments I'm wondering if "before modern high strength alloys were developed" is more accurate than "before Chinese".
I believe the quality of materials loaded into a CNC machine is much more important than where that machine sits or the language spoken by its operator.
Those people don't invent, innovate, etc.., they only provide affordable manufacturing.
 
if it's a street car or mild racing the stock rods (and block) are fine.

if you are running race heads / ported & high rpms & high horsepower 500+
you might want to upgrade the rods.

if you are hitting 600+ and/or running power adders nitrous/blower/turbo/etc definitely upgrade the rods and even think about upgrading the block at that point

just my opinion.
 
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