can anyone help me with this?
how much reliable power can a standard 4x4 saph cos con rod take without breaking

 

Hi,

RS500 grA had more 500 hp with serial con rods.

Regards.

 

I know of a few 600+ with Std Rods and no problems so far.

 

so running 400-450 bhp should be fine then as long as i uprate the bolts to arp's

 

Its swings and round abouts mine is an early escort cossie, but I snapped one with 385 bhp. Gone for H section farndon ones now, along with a new block thanks to the big hole left in the last one.

 

did you have standard big end bolts or uprated ones tho

 

I agree with vinnya77, a rod could fail at far less than what most people have quoted above due to minor flaws. I'll wager the big bhp engines have had their rods crack tested and x-rayed. A mates big turbo escort snapped a rod, he was running a Collins 370bhp conversion, the bolts were fine.

 

They were standard bolts, like sailorbob's mate they were fine it was the rod itself that snapped.

 

Standart con rods are very fine. But for big power use, all of them where probably x-rayed ant shot-penned