SBC Pink Rods
 

How good are the GM SBC Pink Rods?
Seems everyone used them through the 90's successfully.

Have a set in the 350/255 Stocker Engine.
Are they good above 7000 rpm?
Getting different feedback.

Is there a preferred Piston Rod Combination?

Re: SBC Pink Rods
 

That was about the best you could do 20-30 years ago.....but I'd never use them today with aftermarket rods legal and available at reasonable prices.

By the time you fully prepped a stock rod for race use you would spend a fair amount of $$ and would be far better off buying aftermarkets...

Manley rods would be preferred....

Eagles also have worked in a number of engines I built or raced myself and never had one fail...

Stock GM rods will fail way easier than aftermarket...

Re: SBC Pink Rods
 

and try to put togeather a set of eight that clean up size/length/weight/centered pin bore wise...quite a difficult job.

Re: SBC Pink Rods
 

As with any used rods, unless you have owned them since new, its unknown how many cycles they may have been previously subjected to. Not worth risking "catastrophic failure" when so many decent alternatives exist. Sell them to a Corvette or Camaro purist and move on IMHO.

Re: SBC Pink Rods
 

Well, you've got them already so that's a plus, provided you don't go upside down getting them in shape.

If your goal is for something modest, that's one thing.

If you're going have the intake/heads/cam combo that gets you north of 7,000 regularly, that's another thing.

The Manley Sportsmaster rods are a great value:
http://www.manleyperformance.com/dl/cat/rods.pdf

Re: SBC Pink Rods
 

Properly rebuilt with some good bolts and resized they will hold up just fine. I ran stock rods in my super stock engines for years with no failures. When I had a stick in the car I left the line above 9000 rpm and crossed over 8000. Now it’s not worth spending the money on an old rod Whalen a new set is not much more. The Manley sportsmaster is a good rod for the cost.

Re: SBC Pink Rods
 

The older version was not as good as the later ones after 1979 more material around the rod bolts and they changed the beam as well. They were only a 1038 steel same as the steel cranks were made out of.

Re: SBC Pink Rods
 

GM Steel cranks were 1053 Steel

Re: SBC Pink Rods
 

Thanks
The Pink Rods are in the engine.
Originally prepped by Budd Rowe.
Just had Rockville Ring and Bearing go through the block.

Re: SBC Pink Rods
 

Yes.....this will be your problem

Re: SBC Pink Rods
 

That's what I thought you were getting at. So they were new ,with 0 runs?
I'd worry more about the component weights.How are they?

Re: SBC Pink Rods
 

They were from a street driven SBC.
Bud Rowe did the engine about 15 years ago.
It got Dyno'ed and then stored it.

Are Powder Metal ones any better?

D

Re: SBC Pink Rods
 

Scat or eagle are less expensive than blueprinted stock rods,powdered iron suck,broke two 305 stocker engines with them before I smartened up.

Re: SBC Pink Rods
 

Thanks Lee
Got two engines to worry about.
Want reliable engines
So need to consider proper parts

D

Re: SBC Pink Rods
 

If you really feel that way, get the best aftermarket rods available and sleep well at night.

Re: SBC Pink Rods
 

Not about feeling.
Lot of Racer’s did well with Pink Rods.
Just maybe wiser to sell to restoration market.
Seems Pink Rods did well when prepared like any rod.
Now Stocker engines freely go above 7000.
8000 from some combinations which use to be SS range
Just too much.

Re: SBC Pink Rods
 

Just saying. Good rods are really a small price to pay for a real stocker effort that will be raced. Sure there are lots of things I did in the 90’s I wouldn’t do now. I don’t know about you, but the few times I broke engines, I always FELT bad. It was definitely about my feelings. And my wallet. LOL

Re: SBC Pink Rods
 

Got the wallet part.
Only blew one engine.
The piston made a nice ashtray

Re: SBC Pink Rods
 

Manley has some nice, light, easy to fit rods. Mine goes past 8K all the time with no failures yet. Been using them for many years.

Re: SBC Pink Rods
 

They are already in the engine.
Budd Rowe fitted the Pink Rods with Forged pistons, about 8 years ago.
Engine has been in storage and Rockville Ring and Bearing just went through the block with fresh bearings.

If i kept them what RPM range would be safe?
One racer posted he used them in a SS engine at much higher rpm than 7000 rpm.

Only have so much tine and money..

D

Re: SBC Pink Rods
 

What rpm will your combo see? Some combos will never see 7000 rpm, some will go over 8000 as you noted.

If you are second guessing yourself and want to upgrade, get the Eagles. I run them in my Boss 302, making 540hp shifting at 8700 and going thru at 8900 in good air with no problems. Just make sure you get them with the arp2000 bolts, and check the big ends and small ends.
For 500.00 you can't go wrong.

Re: SBC Pink Rods
 

Have they been bushed for floating pins or are they still press fit which is what they were new.

Re: SBC Pink Rods
 

Are these Hbeam rods or I beams that are turned 8000?

Re: SBC Pink Rods
 

I tried a set of those, cheap and a set on the shelf here in town. I may be too anal, but the big ends were all over the place. Had to re-size them, and length varied. Had to sand some piston tops to set the deck. (No mill)
Mine only goes ~8400 in the lights. Best I have found are Manley. Light, and all sizes dead nuts. This was three years ago. Eagle may be better now.

Re: SBC Pink Rods
 

Sucks moving from Pure Stock to Stock..
Both engines SBC and LT1 were originally designed for under 7000 rpm.
With stock stuff...

Prepped Pinks and LT1 rods seem to be ok to 7200 rpm.
Stockers are mini SuperStock Engines hitting ridiculous RPM.
Above that a lot more costs and still questionable reliability.
Then adding roll bars, reinforced rear ends, replacing harnesses every two years, European priced fuel for racing.

Where is the fun?