Originally Posted by Avictar
White n slow...thanks for the valuable advice...however you stressed AND rods...mind if you could explain more....cheers mate...
Sure thing. Stock B20 rods aren't that hot. They're not really designed to rev past ~7k, and even that is a bit much. After shot-peening them and getting a set of ARP rod bolts, stock rods should be good for around ~8k, but they wont be nearly as reliable in the long run as a quality aftermarket rod. They're just not designed for that kind of abuse. Plus, most aftermarket rods designed for n/a are significantly lighter than stock, giving you a *marginal* boost in power, quicker reving and less stress on your bearings and rotating assembly which translates directly into better longevity. The other reason you should get aftermarket rods is that stock rods won't accept aftermarket pistons without being machined. The general rule of thumb is OEM Pistons--OEM rods, aftermarket pistons--aftermarket rods.
Look at it this way:
stock B20 rods, plus ARP rod bolts, plus shot-peening, plus machining to accept your new pistons = a fair chunk of change for an OK rod setup.
decent aftermarket rods = the same chunk of change (well... probably a little more, but not a lot more) for a well-designed, more reliable and better performing rod setup.
