Had a strange experience with ARP rod bolts today.
Bought a set of 11/32" bolts for my 1100S block from a well known parts store a few weeks back. Took them to an engine reconditioner to have the old ones pressed out and these new ones put in, torqued up and honed or checked for trueness. He rings me during the morning and says one rod bolt won't fit. He tried to fit the last bolt and it wouldn't go in. He removed another bolt and tried in the "faulty hole" - fitted perfectly, tried the suspect bolt in the second hole, no fit.
Measured it, it's ten thou bigger than the others. Looks like one bolt was packed incorrectly into the kit. This was a fully sealed, unopened kit.
Rang the store I bought it from, they ring the supplier, ring me back. Several calls to and from the supplier, the store, and the engine place and I get my wife to pick up the bolt from the workshop and bring it to me at work. I then take it to the supplier, get it replaced (free of charge), and trundle back to the workshop just before closing time. All in all a waste of a day.



Tempting as it is to leave them in the pack, moral is check the bolts before you go to use them.

Doc - re your conrods. He doesn't have a specific way of checking them other than a digital vernier. Suggested measuring from small to big end on either side and comparing. Doesn't sound like he would do it any different from yourself at home.