/6 198 rods needed badly

[/QUOTE] My point is, my opinion doesn't matter. Your opinion doesn't matter. David Reher's opinion doesn't matter. Doug Dutra's opinion doesn't matter (he also agrees long rods build power). Nobodies opinion matter and nobody will ever know for sure until somone builds two identical slants with the only changing X-factors being the rod length, compression height and deck height (to keep compression the same) and then they put them on the same dyno on the same day with the same operator and find out if the numbers differ or not.[/QUOTE]





Well, that's a valid opinion as far as it goes, but this is discussion is about the factor in assessing the validity of varied opinions:

RE: How much in the way of "qualification" does the holder of opinion A have, compared with the holder of opinion B?

The way you describe opinions would make one think that all opinions have equal validity.

Not so.

Otherwise, you're throwing your money away when you go see a $500.00 an-hour lawyer for his opinion about whether you should sue someone who has (you feel) has "wronged" you.... you might as well ask anybody on the street... I'm sure if you clued them in, they would have an opinion... everybody's got one.

My cardiologist is currently giving me his opinion of my current heart condition... and, I listen to him, do what he says to do, and pay him LARGE amounts of money because he has experience with hearts that act-up like mine does... and I'd like to live at least a little longer, so the opinion of a person not versed in the vagaries of cardiology wouldn't, probably, have all the correct information to get it right... and, I NEED to have somebody "get it right."

I think David Reher's countless hours on the dyno and many years of experience in engine design (and, yes, he experimented a lot with rod-length/stroke ratios,) puts his opinion a quantum-leap ahead of mine, and probably yours, too, when it comes to having a better-than-average chance of being right.

Makes sense... If he didn't learn what works, (and, not?) of what value is all that time?