What pistons to use

[CarsByCarl]

Originally Posted by cobrashoch

Are you guys telling this guy he can get by on the stock rods? That's something I would never do in even a minor performace build with any 385 build. I agree with most of the stuff mentioned above with the added clevate that pressed pin pistons can be used in even high performance use to a certain point, floaters are way overrated. Stock 385 rods are a huge weakness in all 429/460 stock builds. Better to buy stock pistons and spend your money on a performance rod setup if you buzz the darn thing.
cobrashock

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with the statement above about stock rods. Stock 385 series rods are made of forged steel and have been proven time and time again to handle high power and high rpms.

Stock 385 rods are used in the FMS 460 crate motor that makes 550HP at 6250rpm, and were also used by Jon Kaase in some tests on his new P-51 heads making 807HP at 6600 rpm (this was in a 4.3 stroke engine). A 4.3 stroke engine running 6600 rpm works out to a piston speed of 4730 feet per minute. This would be the same as a 429 running 7900 rpm, or a 460 running 7400 rpm.

While some may say that Eagle SIR rods are cheap insurance, I don't believe they are any better than stock. If you are concerned about using reconditioned rods, new 385 rods made by Ford are available for $89.00-$125.00 a set from a number of sources on the internet.

[Tom Wells]

Hi Carl,

Dunno 'bout the current crop of stock Ford rods. The ones I got in my 514 crate motor were not too good - however this was four years ago or so.

One of the rods (carefully hand-selected by trained Ford technicians) had a piece of its web missing about half the size of a dime

If we hadn't pulled the engine apart to check that very thing, it doubtless would have grenaded the engine.

Bottom line: check the rods carefully before installing them, stock or otherwise!

[CarsByCarl]

Originally Posted by Tom Wells

Hi Carl,

Dunno 'bout the current crop of stock Ford rods. The ones I got in my 514 crate motor were not too good - however this was four years ago or so.

One of the rods (carefully hand-selected by trained Ford technicians) had a piece of its web missing about half the size of a dime

If we hadn't pulled the engine apart to check that very thing, it doubtless would have grenaded the engine.

Bottom line: check the rods carefully before installing them, stock or otherwise!

Exactly the reason I prefer to recondition rods from high mileage lux-o-barge cores. They've been seasoned in a low power, low rpm application. If a flaw had existed they would have let go before I got to them.

On the other hand, any new rod can have a manufacturing flaw that may be obvious like yours, or may not be visible or detectable until it's hanging out the side of the block.