Golferluke

Found these on ebay earlier, forged 4340 h beam, arp2k or arp 8740 hardware for $225 Anybody heard of SGI? I did some googlin and sounds like Scat, Elgin, C.A.T. RPM, Procomp, Sgi and some others are all coming from the same chineses factory.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SGI-Forged-R...#ht_969wt_1037

I wouldn't use them to the "1000hp" or "9000rpm" but might be nice for a sub 300hp street build.
Thoughts?

TurboTim

iTrader: (9)

The factory rods are nice for a sub 300hp street build.

2manyhobyz

iTrader: (4)

First I would ask how heavy they are and what the return policy is if you get one thats out of spec. Actually, I just picked up the phone and called the guy. Good english, seemed knowledgeable, looked up the weight at 530 grams. Only the H-beams are available. I asked him about return if one was out of spec, he said he's never had one come back, but if one did he would make it right. I would look at buying these.
What are you choosing for pistons?

ianferrell

hmm.. I wonder if they're actually 530 grams I think the mtuned rods/other ebay rods are actually lighter than that.

2manyhobyz

iTrader: (4)

That's what the guy said. What are the weights of the other brands? The weight of the piston also add/subtracts to the overall. So does going to a D2 tool steel wrist pin with a taper wall.

codrus

Per FM's site, Carrillo A-beams are 417 grams, H-beams are 442 grams, and are "almost 100 grams lighter than stock". So 530 grams sounds like it's about stock weight.

--Ian

Golferluke

Havnt decided yet on pistons. My power goals are gonna be around 250, maybe 300 later on. Higher way down the road but I'll probably be in the motor before that anyways so power goal on this build will be 300. At the moment my 170k motors smokin up top and burning oil so she needs a rebuild anyways, the current plan is rods and arp studs (maybe valve seals?). Plus I need a clutch so motors comin out anyways

I'm trying to decide if I want to go forged pistons (which would require bore, hone and and pistons so around $700 extra) or just hone and re-ring the stock pistons. Stock should be fine for 300hp but they also have 170k miles so idk. Been looking at supertechs for $400 on eBay though if I do get forged but really don't want to spend the money unless I have to.

Golferluke

Posted that on my phone, didn't see some of the other posts. I'm not sure about the weight but as long as they aren't heavier than stock it doesn't really bother me. I'm not really looking to gain performance out of the bottom end, just insurance so I can gain performance elsewhere.

y8s

iTrader: (8)

these rods came out of a 300bhp (250rwhp) 2001 with water injection. the motor was running fine and had moderately low mileage.




wavy gravy!

mr_hyde

iTrader: (4)

FWIW, I got a set of these last week from SGI. They arrived and look nice. I haven't weighed them. They came with APR bolts as advertised.

Golferluke

Lmao, I moved my monitor around to make sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me. yikes though, no good. Ya, everything I've read suggests 250 is really the limit for the rods. Pistons should be ok to around 325 though? Obviously i would re-ring and hone but am i crazy for considering using high mileage pistons?

Thanks mr hyde, exactly the kind of feedback i was looking for, post in here if you get them weighed.

Ps y8s how would you even know the bhp lol? I'm doubting you dyoed the motor on a stand

mr_hyde

iTrader: (4)

From my reading, the consensus on Chinese rods is they are plenty strong for a normal build under 400whp. The benefit to spending well over a grand on Corrillos or something comparable is lower weight. For my purposes and budget, these will be fine. Someone else can handle the question of high mileage pistons. I'm using a set from the MSM block I stripped that had ~60k on them and look fine. A light hone, some rings, bearings and these rods and I'm done but I'm not looking to set any 1.8 power records either.

falcon

iTrader: (13)

These are the same as all the other cheap rods out there. I am making just shy of 300whp on a 1.6L with them.

Really... how many threads need to be made about these rods? Do you really think all these individual Ebay sellers are making their own rods in some factory? No. They all get them from the same place.

ianferrell

I've been reading too, found plenty of examples of people using stock pistons, I wouldn't worry about a specific number either. As long as your tune is safe and you stay outta detonation you'll be golden. We're going to run the stock vvt pistons 10:1 and all, its just not worth the extra almost $1000 to go forged. Forged pistons are 'only' 40% stronger than cast, and I'd have to imagine that the stock pistons are actually hypereutectic, which is stronger than cast anyway... They probably wouldn't fall apart at 400whp with a safe tune and no det or pre-ignition. I haven't looked real hard, but didn't see a lot of stock piston failures out there (That weren't det or rod induced)

TurboTim

iTrader: (9)

For every instance of a wavy gravy rod sub 300whp, percentage wise, how many are fine? Fortunately I can't see thru my aluminum oil pan, but my engine is running fine and may or may not have wavy gravy.

Just like all chinese turbos come from the same factory, right? I agree, it's not likely there's more than one factory in chingdong that makes XX part.

y8s

iTrader: (8)

Of course it's an estimate. It wasn't even my car this motor was running in. But since the rods don't see whp, they see bhp I thought it would be a more realistic number to use--even guesstimated.

To be fair, these were under 10:1 2001 pistons... so things are slightly different. But the point is that you can't make too many assumptions about running on the hairy edge of the stock rods. If the original post said "220 rwhp" I would have not said a word. If it had said 280, someone else would have replied first.

It's like when everyone says they're disease free and practice safe sex yet somehow, an estimated 50% of the population has some type of herpes.

If I wasn't lazy and had no garage and funding, I'd already have a built motor for my 250rwhp car... but until then, wavy gravy.

falcon

iTrader: (13)

Yeah I guess.. but with all these new ebay sellers always popping up you're never going to know what came from where. My rods came in a "Cat Power" box, as did many other people's. Realistically, most if not all of the cheap rods for Miatas' come from them.

I think it's safe to say at this point that any $2xx.xx set of rods on ebay will be fine.

http://www.catpep.com/

Golferluke

Ahh I see what your gettin at there.

I think I'm going to go with the stock pistons unless its a bad idea to use high mileage pistons. Its high milage from the PO commuting alot in KC, its had about 10k miles under me n/a and 2k boosted. Might take a look around for some used pistons out of a 94-97 for lower compression and lower miles. (I know the wear won't be identical to my motor, but with hone and rings it should be fine)

chicksdigmiatas

iTrader: (11)

Stockers should be fine. Honestly, I would have used stockers if my engine didn't need a bore. I gave away a nice set recently to a guy doing the same.

Yes, I spaghettied rods at about 250 whp too. I was making 17-18 psi on a bell shanghai, I noodled 2, (They looked worse than y8s's) and snapped one about 3/4" below the wrist pin...

kfrancis

If you get your block honed does that always bore out the cylinder?