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MG MGB Technical - Con Rod choices - 5 main

I am in midst of rebuilding a 5-main for vintage racing

- after a recent major failure with late press-fit pins coming loose (machine shop screwup), so I now have zero confidence in press fit pins since I have no control over shop competency

I am going back to circlip full-floating pistons on this build

- rpm will be limited to 6500 with a D9 cam

- crank is crossdrilled etc by Butch Gilbert

- I have a set of diagonal rods that are already prepped - lightened, shot peened, ARP bolts etc - these came from a Bob Yarwood built 5-main motor that I acquired some yrs ago

Question - can I use these diagonal rods safely and confidently for competition at the above rpm, or should i go to the late 18v rods and have them bushed to the pins?

fyi- i looked at buying the maxspeeding carillo copies, but there's no evidence they are quality pieces -



Larry Moeller

Hello, Try this place:

http://www.bpnorthwest.com/.sc/ms/cat/MGB--Main%20Engine%20Components

Cheers,


JGC
Jean Guy Catford

or:

http://www.tsimportedautomotive.com/mgb_gt.html

And for head:

http://www.flowspeed.com/index.htm
Jean Guy Catford

Oups,

I forgot that site which gives good ref:

http://www.importperformanceparts.net/imports/importsmgb.html

I know I didn't answer directly to your question.

But it is a difficult to evaluate rod that appears to be used ones. In the last sire they offer carillo.

Jean Guy Catford

Hi Larry

Horizontally split rods I reckon. Sorry to hear you had problems with the press fit. We have stayed with press fit for reliability reasons, as you say difficult if you cannot trust the machine shop :(

Peter
P Burgess

I have a set of the maxspeeding rods. They look good, and havnt broken yet.

Oh, sorry that must be because I havnt built the engine yet!!

But they do look good, and cheap.

Colin
Colin Parkinson

I used the max speeding rods in my engine. Peter Burgess head, Piper cam,been revving happily to 7thou [in anger] and everything good after one season of racing. Except of course the broken main shaft in the 3 synchro box. The only issue with the Max rods was that the bearing cutout 'nick' was too narrow and had to be ground out. They look the part certainly.I now read that they would not be legal in an FIA car in the UK...is that so ??
R F Murray

Larry,
You may want to try http://www.aptfast.com/ I have been very happy with the rods they prepped for my B.
Leland Bradley

Renton if they are not legal for FIA in the UK they are not legal for FIA any where! And you are possibly correct, but who checks?

Colin
Colin Parkinson


I appreciate the comments so far - I was about to order the Max rods today, but the comment regarding the bearing tab problem suggests that quality in regard to attention to detail is suspect, and that makes me shy of the product in general

Maxspeeding price quote for MGB rods is $480 USD with ARP2000 bolts, incl shipping; that's a tempting deal - I talked to an ARP rep at HAN last week, and he knew they were shipping bolts to a China company, but that's all he knew

PPM (australia) sells a similar knockoff rod that "sounds better" in their ad for for $732 plus

www.pureperformancemotorsport.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=466

I did not find any comparable rods at BPNW from whom I've bought a lot of stuff cuz their prices are almost always better

- Maxspeeding do not provide much detail on the rods, and one has to ask them separately for every minute spec detail - that does not suggest to me that they are "car guys" who understand our needs & issues, nor that they are anything more than a couple of shoe salesman who decided to commission knockoffs for a profit

I have looked in vain for a set of GG... oem rods, they are not found in engines with the suggested numbers - Moss lists them at $90 each for reconditioned

AND - the reality is that by the time one has a used set reconditioned, lightened, balanced, peened and adds ARP bolts (which I already have in hand) the end cost is about the same as one of these sets of new "carillo knockoffs"

"in for a penny - in for a pound"

I'll let ya know what I finally decide to do; right now the MG project is back burner

I am deep in vexing electrical wiring matters plus a valeo alternator conversion on my 914-6
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/dto_garage.php?do=viewvehicle&vehicle_id=5406



Larry Moeller


Update on maxspeeding - here is what they now say:

"Hi Sir:
We had the bearing slots problem before . Renton bought our MGB rods in May 2009 , we have improved our MGB rods with his help. Now our MGB rods are perfect.

Kind regards
MaxSpeedingRods"

Larry Moeller


received today a set of maxspeeding rods - brg tab problem is fixed - price was $480 US delivered
Larry Moeller

there is a parallel thread on MG Experience with pics & stuff y'all might find interesting

http://www.mgexperience.net/phorum/read.php?1,1494233,1494233#msg-1494233


Larry Moeller

This thread was discussed between 19/07/2010 and 25/08/2010

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