I think that lightening rods and wedging/blading cranks are a waste of time for road engines. For race engines, lightening rods only make sense if: 1) you can't afford aftermarket rods(which are much lighter than lightened rods) 2) you have too much time on your hands 3) you want to take a chance on leaving a stress riser that results in a broken engine(this happens more often than you think).

My aftermarket race rods weigh only 439 grams(with special nutless ARP bolts) and I get them at a price( I can't quote here )but they cost little more than lightened rods prepared by a professional. These are used in a race-only engine along with light pistons, flywheel, backplate and crank. I think that a light flywheel(and maybe backplate??) are the only parts that are worth using for road use.

I know of a friend whose race engine destroyed itself when a rod failed after it was lightened by someone with decades of building race engines. Lost were: Paul Ivey crank, Kent cam, 2 pistons, block, gearbox case. A
chain(or engine) is only as strong as its weakest link.

Wedging the crank is worth it on 1275 road engines. Look at the centre main of a 1275 after a lot of miles, they always wear most on the crankpin side of the journal.
This is because Mr BMC never put decent sized counterweights on them.
Wedging the crank removes weight from the crankpin side of the webs, which has the same effect (but lightens the crank too). This is called increasing the balance factor.
I don't believe blading is worth 2 bob on a road motor, as it undoes 1/2 the benefit of wedging by removing metal from the counterweights.
So, you are then back where you started, albeit with a lighter crank.

_________________
DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

While on the subject of after-market Rods, we all know that we can get them from the UK, but did you know that there are at least 2 brands from the US and 1 from here in Oz.......All from what I'm told very very good.

Just thought I'd put it out there.....................

Also 1 or 2 good ones from UnZud.

_________________
DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Any chance your going to share?
As far as I know where allowed to say good things about companies...

_________________
The 850 Man

Carrillo rods come from US.
http://www.carrilloind.com/

The Oz made one is Argo.
http://www.argorace.com.au/index.cfm?menukey=12

_________________
DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

I should be running a set of Argo rods in the next few months if all goes to plan. They do custom lengths too which may be handy.

Longer con rods to increase capacity - is that feasible? What's involved - is it as "easy" as just fitting the rods. I guess the top of the pistons would need to be machined to make sure they didn't go above the top of the block

Longer rods don't increase capacity, they just move the piston higher in the block (reducing the angle the rods have to work at is a good thing).

_________________
Too many cars, and too little time.

69elf, there are only 2 ways to increase displacement. Bore it, stroke it, or both.

_________________
DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Did someone say CONRODS?

[img][img]http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/1328/conrod01.jpg[/img]
By gtmowog, shot with E990[/img]

Pfft... I machined bigger loco ones than that at NSW Railways.. (they were steam then, bro')...

_________________
DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

These are a little more modern than that!! These are out of one of our Manly Ferries. (Diahatsu 300 mm bore x 350 mm stroke straight 8 with a turbo charger the size of a large dog house)

Here's a piston that goes with it;-

[img][img]http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/4720/piston01.jpg[/img]
By gtmowog, shot with E990[/img]

Oh look,,, REALLY REALLY BIG 4-bolt 850 race rods,,, longer too,,, Hmmm maybe we could ....... Nah,,, wasn`t even funny was it?

i`ll just shut up & go to bed then

_________________
No offence intended here but--> anyone writing a book about minis 30 years ago may not have experienced such worn or stuffed-with components as we are finding these days.

You should put your heart & soul into everything you do.

Diahatsu marine engine, just a copy of a Rolls Royce marine engine, but with japanese reliability not pommy
What turbo's are they running BBC [brown bovari] or napier

_________________
Research is the difference between speculation and investment. Anyone who copys some one else will always be second
www.minisprintgt.com