04 rod bolts

[mark21742]

I'm dropping a Melling high volume oil pump and Ls2 timing set in my 04 GTO I do the cam swap next week (hr288 236/242 .580/.590 112lsa cam)
does GM sell individual rod bolts, or do you have to buy a kit?
how much stronger are the ARP bolts compared to the stock 04 rod bolts?
while I have the pan off doing the oil pump I'd like to check the bearings since I have 85,000 miles on the motor, and oil pressure has dropped to 0 a few times, I just hate the thought of spending $100 more dollars I don't really have.
but with the new cam, will I be spinning the motor past the "safe" rpm of the stock rod bolts?

[00blacktransam112]

$100 for the added piece of mind that your not guna hand grenade a $4000 motor? id do it.

[SOMbitch]

Why has your OP dropped to 0? Bad pump?

If you do rod bolts do one at a time so the the caps do not move. This is a controversial topic. ARP actually recomends have the rods resized when changing over to their bolts. They are bigger and heavier and have different clamping properties. a lot of guys do it anyway successfully but I have seen other guys say they spun a bearing in a few thousand miles so????

I do know this...Katechs are designed to be a direct drop in....the downside.....they are about as hard to find as bigfoot and were almost $200 last I looked. I was thinking about swapping when my cam went in but nobody had them in stock....not even Katech LOL..

BTW spinning 6500 for 25K miles on crappy 98 bolts. At least you got the better ones....

[mark21742]

Why has your OP dropped to 0? Bad pump?

BTW spinning 6500 for 25K miles on crappy 98 bolts. At least you got the better ones....

I'm guessing, maybe a small crack in the "O" ring sucking air and causing foam?

its done this a few times now and I don't want to do a bunch of damage.
be driving down the road and come to a stop qith good oil pressure, then BEEP BEEP BEEP check oil light comes on, and Automete gauge drops to 0....a sevond or two later and oil pressure is back.......did it once before I got the Autometer, two months later, now it has done it twice in a week

[SOMbitch]

I'm guessing, maybe a small crack in the "O" ring sucking air and causing foam?

its done this a few times now and I don't want to do a bunch of damage.
be driving down the road and come to a stop qith good oil pressure, then BEEP BEEP BEEP check oil light comes on, and Automete gauge drops to 0....a sevond or two later and oil pressure is back.......did it once before I got the Autometer, two months later, now it has done it twice in a week

Good luck with your swap and whatever you decide to do.... Should be

[00blacktransam112]

ARP actually recomends have the rods resized when changing over to their bolts. They are bigger and heavier and have different clamping properties. a lot of guys do it anyway successfully but I have seen other guys say they spun a bearing in a few thousand miles so????

O well. might as well build up a 408 while your at it.

[mark21742]

Good luck with your swap and whatever you decide to do.... Should be

I'll admit I'm more than a little excited