20V Blacktop ConRods

[rooty]

Have you seen a BT rod break in the middle? I haven't and that's where it's the thinnest. They usually crack near the crown / bolts. I'd upgrade them with ARP if you aren't planning revving it over 8500

[NoHachi]

More compression will not necessitate different rods. Only high rpm and 1bar+ boost will. I'd suggest you save yourself the rod+piston money and invest that into good porting work + cam matching.

Take a look at the Touge 200 series on youtube or DVD. One of the episodes has an AE86 fielded by the owner of the shop that prepares Tsuchia san's hachi. Stock rev limit/exhaust/header. 180hp

[86Pilot]

NoHachi, I believe the chance of failure with mild tuning is very small, but I can't help to think that not improving the rods when I got a chance might kick me in the ass later on.

So the idea was rods only, keeping the stock pistons.

I have to think about it as initially I wasn't considering altering the bottom end.

I might just say "what the hell" and use the investment help cover a set of high lift cams.

[NoHachi]

The cams won't do much without the head work. You need a place that does one stop shopping headwork+matched cams. You can find them still, mostly doing rally engines. Better investment then high rpm/big cam/stock head.

[86Pilot]

Some of the head work is being done now. 3 angle valve job and getting rid of cast defects.

I'll probably start with oem cams and see how it does and drives.

Maybe then I'll think about further head work, cams and compression.

[Project D]

Headwork + cams + stand alone management -> this is the real deal !

[panda_tureno86]

I was reving the day light out of my AE111.
The rods never let go.

[Jimmi The Kid]

I have seen a big hole in front and in the back of a Blacktop engine block. The engine was revving at 1500rpm and it had no noises or other, just before it broke. It just broke.

If I build me a new engine, I will not use theese con rods. But that just my opinion.