Mopar 383 Connecting Rods

James L Miller · 11-15-2019, 11:15 PM

What brand of connecting rods are guys using in Stock and SS 383 Mopar engines? The only ones currently available that are NHRA legal are the Eagle (at the low end) and Carrillo rods (at the high end). The C-A and the Hale rods seem to be non-existent at this point. My engine guy went through 60 stock rods to find eight that would stay round on the big end.

Paul Precht · 11-16-2019, 12:34 AM

If you're running stock the stock rods are fine. Unless they're really messed up and been beat to death the only way you'll break one is to spin a bearing and not lift.

Larry Hill · 11-16-2019, 09:08 AM

James I would like to know the criteria for the rod selection. I have a problem keeping the big end round on my stuff. Fixing them shortens the rods and requires block to be decked to keep compression up.
Thanks

James L Miller · 11-16-2019, 01:04 PM

Larry, my engine guy is an old tool and die machinist and ran a MP Colt back in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He worked at the Dodge NASCAR engine program with Arrington and Ted Flack when Dodge got back into NASCAR. His rod methodology is to torque the rod bolts, measure the roundness on his Sunnen rod hone dial bore gauge. He redid a set of Manley Hemi Pro I-beam rods that I bought from Mike Bogina. Mike had them on the shelf, brand new in the box. Apparently Manley did not use enough assembly lube when they torqued the rod bolts and there was galling on the threads and under the bolt heads. Robert resized the big ends with new rod bolts, dowels, ground the caps and big end and resized the big ends to under ,0001" (nearly zero). The next day they must have stress relieved to be .0001" out of round.

On the stock rods, he measures the out of round, un-torques the bolts, and retorques them. If they don't repeat they end up in the junk pile. Apparently the stock 383 rods are weak, maybe a low alloy steel or medium carbon steel like AISI 1053. He was building a 383 for a guys pickup and they got a set of Jim Hales (Manley) rods, but they needed work as they were used. Overkill for the pickup build for sure.

GTX JOHN · 11-16-2019, 04:18 PM

If we resize rods we offset bush the rods small side to keep length.
Nothing wrong with stock rod but by time you rework them they are
about the same money as Eagles

Dave Noll · 11-16-2019, 08:39 PM

If it was me, for .0001 I'd dig those 60 stock forgings out of that junk pile.

11-15-2019, 11:15 PM	#1
James L Miller Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 496 Likes: 6 Liked 25 Times in 16 Posts	Mopar 383 Connecting Rods What brand of connecting rods are guys using in Stock and SS 383 Mopar engines? The only ones currently available that are NHRA legal are the Eagle (at the low end) and Carrillo rods (at the high end). The C-A and the Hale rods seem to be non-existent at this point. My engine guy went through 60 stock rods to find eight that would stay round on the big end. __________________ Mopar 2 Ya!

11-16-2019, 12:34 AM	#2
Paul Precht Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Elysburg, Pa Posts: 702 Likes: 304 Liked 247 Times in 95 Posts	Re: Mopar 383 Connecting Rods If you're running stock the stock rods are fine. Unless they're really messed up and been beat to death the only way you'll break one is to spin a bearing and not lift.

11-16-2019, 09:08 AM	#3
Larry Hill Live Reporter Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Hickory, Ky Posts: 10,444 Likes: 1,745 Liked 10,051 Times in 2,085 Posts	Re: Mopar 383 Connecting Rods James I would like to know the criteria for the rod selection. I have a problem keeping the big end round on my stuff. Fixing them shortens the rods and requires block to be decked to keep compression up. Thanks __________________ IHM Used Parts https://ihmusedparts.com 888-821-1817

11-16-2019, 01:04 PM	#4
James L Miller Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 496 Likes: 6 Liked 25 Times in 16 Posts	Re: Mopar 383 Connecting Rods Larry, my engine guy is an old tool and die machinist and ran a MP Colt back in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He worked at the Dodge NASCAR engine program with Arrington and Ted Flack when Dodge got back into NASCAR. His rod methodology is to torque the rod bolts, measure the roundness on his Sunnen rod hone dial bore gauge. He redid a set of Manley Hemi Pro I-beam rods that I bought from Mike Bogina. Mike had them on the shelf, brand new in the box. Apparently Manley did not use enough assembly lube when they torqued the rod bolts and there was galling on the threads and under the bolt heads. Robert resized the big ends with new rod bolts, dowels, ground the caps and big end and resized the big ends to under ,0001" (nearly zero). The next day they must have stress relieved to be .0001" out of round. On the stock rods, he measures the out of round, un-torques the bolts, and retorques them. If they don't repeat they end up in the junk pile. Apparently the stock 383 rods are weak, maybe a low alloy steel or medium carbon steel like AISI 1053. He was building a 383 for a guys pickup and they got a set of Jim Hales (Manley) rods, but they needed work as they were used. Overkill for the pickup build for sure. __________________ Mopar 2 Ya!

11-16-2019, 04:18 PM	#5
GTX JOHN VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Boulder City, Nevada 89005 Posts: 2,591 Likes: 2,353 Liked 2,117 Times in 607 Posts	Re: Mopar 383 Connecting Rods If we resize rods we offset bush the rods small side to keep length. Nothing wrong with stock rod but by time you rework them they are about the same money as Eagles __________________ John Irving 741 Stock 741 Super Stock

11-16-2019, 08:39 PM	#6
Dave Noll Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Div. 6, Eastern, WA Posts: 700 Likes: 2,445 Liked 224 Times in 106 Posts	Re: Mopar 383 Connecting Rods If it was me, for .0001 I'd dig those 60 stock forgings out of that junk pile. __________________ Dave Noll, E/FS ,?/SA 6526