What does X look like. Rod Addition

B6/7 S4/RS4
#1

This one should be fun.

Rods on these blocks can let loose on these motors for a long list of reasons. While the rods on the B6/7 S4 are very hard and strong for there size (they have been tested) the design isn’t the best. With a nice long thick birth at the bottom of the rod, the top of the rod has a neck down that just seems to make the rest of the rods great strength additions almost useless. With that said, Ive never see one of these rods snap at the neck.

What is the weakest part of the rod? The piston. It seems most of the rods that go bad seem to have some sort of relationship with the piston expansion and sudden stop of the piston momentum, resulting in a large amount of drag. While I won’t get into that in this post, I can expand on that later.

Here are some glamor shots.

Stock rod

http://audirevolution.net/addons/albums/images/894331782.jpg

A stock rod that has seen too much hp

http://audirevolution.net/addons/albums/images/929395644.jpg

What left of a stock rod that was broken due to piston expansion and rod stop

http://audirevolution.net/addons/albums/images/218401945.jpg

A rod with a never say die attitude.

http://audirevolution.net/addons/albums/images/862601378.jpg

Can you see what rod doesn’t look like the rest? This is another one that is a result of piston expansion and rod stop

http://audirevolution.net/addons/albums/images/428375579.jpg

These rods are in the early stage of too much power. The motor is still going to make good power, but its not going to make full power. The rods are now shorter by just enough to drop compression

http://audirevolution.net/addons/albums/images/2050540.jpg

ok kids that all for tonight. I have work to do. Feel free to talk amongst yourselves

#2

hahah, love the post. Can’t wait to see it expanded on. I was waiting for the block picture with a fist size hole in it to be next though.

Also, just out of curiosity (not that it’s the best approach b/c if you’re going to do a project/build do it right the first time & be done), but how beneficial would new pistons be on the stock rods. I just didn’t know if the rods are able to say hold 10% more then where the pistons start to fail and thus replace it all, or if the stock rods could hold 30% more the the pistons so just a piston swap could be of great benefit?

#3

Great question. While the pistons are the weak link here in most cases. It seems that the stock rods are not too far behind. IMHO. It would be a large waste of money to put in a better piston and just reuse the stock rods. The amount of work that it would take to put in new pistons. It would make more sense to just spend the extra money on the rods and be done with it.

#4

^Thanks, almost always the case, just wanted to clarify. If you’re gonna do something do it right or don’t do it at all. . .

#5

yes, Its like the saying. go big or go…go borrow enough money to go big. If you have to go home you should have never left the house… ok ok I changed it, but I like my version better

#6

^ LOK, that’s freakin great. . .

#7

Very cool. I remember Justincredible’s tear-down thread where he went over the rods and pistons. I wonder now where JHM is getting their rods and pistons for their twin turbo and higher-stage supercharger kits. It would be great to see companies like JE making pistons and Integrated Engineering making rods for this engine. That would be a bulletproof setup.

#8

Additionally wouldn’t need need to design the piston to have that stupid taper to match the end of the rod? Kind of limiting you to using a stock style rod end.

#9

Great post with alot of good info. Keep them coming countvohn. ;D