SilentFright

I am very interested in the topic of LS1/LS6 connecting rod bolt limitations, as it seems there are many threads currently open on this subject. To get to the point I was curious as to if these "limitations" were only due to increased rpm over stock? Or on the other hand were the bolts limited by a certain amount of torque/horsepower?

I can see where the higher rpm would obviously come into play, but what if you maintained your stock red-line and had say 478rwhp. Would the OEM rod bolts be at risk? My reasoning brings me to the conclusion that both factors could individually exceed the stock bolt's limits because they both create more tensile stress. But I could be wrong.


Thanks,

FRCTony

I would say RPM is the largest factor.

Most stress otherwise would occur on high RPM "deceleration", because all the load is placed on the rod bolts and caps during this period.

Avoid that by clutching in and you should be fine.

LT1GMC

RPM for sure, when the piston is making all the power, it is pushing down, not stressing the bolt and cap so much. The RPM load on the cap and bolt is on the intake stroke, when the crank is pulling the piston back down along with the fresh intake charge. That is where the rod is trying to separate at the cap part line, thereby increasing the load with higher speed.

Y2Kvert4me

RPM no doubt.

Most failures of this nature occur when free-revving or decelerating (engine not under load).

FullOutPwr

Interesting.... I'd assume that it'd be the exact opposite and that it'd take a load to cause more strain than no load at all. IE: a winch... easy to spool and pull in cable with no load, but as soon as you put a 5,000 pound load on the winch cable it could go down hill from there.

chuckster

OR Grabbing 2nd gear after 3rd at 90mph

Y2Kvert4me

Not really a good comparison, but since you brought it up...winch your truck DOWN a hill sometime...will it descend at the constant, controlled speed of the winch, or will the momentum of the falling weight cause it to overrun the winch?

(don't further confuse this with worm vs spur gear winch differences).

The point being, is a winch is designed to pull a load, not push one. Just like a rod bolt is fine when being pushed...not so fine when being pulled.

rustyguns

good analogy

SilentFright

Great responses everyone! I think I will bypass the installation of some Katech rod bolts then .