Lets talk Rods

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jcarrick
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Lets talk Rods

Post by jcarrick »

I have been doing lots of research on building my ALH TDI and right now I am trying to decide on which connecting rods I am going to run. I have heard of many different people running "eBay" rods in big power Honda's, DSM's, VW's, etc. with no issues, but it seems like everyone on TDIClub is totally against them, even though none of them have any personal experience with them. As a disclaimer, TDIClub, in general, appears to be quite closed minded...

The brand I have seen the most reviews on is Maxspeedingrods. These come with ARP 2000 rod bolts and sell for $275.

I am not opposed to spending the money for good rods, but if I can spend half as much and get the same result... Why not? :hide:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/180879072155?ss ... 1423.l2649

So what are your guys' opinions? Does anyone have any personal experience with Maxspeedingrods or other "eBay" rods?

Cheers,

-Jon
-Jon

1995.5 urS6 Avant
2003 A4 Avant 1.8t
1997 F350 Fummins
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chaloux
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Re: Lets talk Rods

Post by chaloux »

Lol TDI club. The fucking lamest group of enthusiasts ever. If it hasn't been tested by 30 engineers and approved by VW itself you SIMPLY CANNOT DO IT!!!!

If it was me I probably wouldn't get eBay rods for an engine like yours, but I have no personal experience with them so I can't really say much. The torque pulse on TDIs are pretty huge, so that's why I'm suggesting not to cheap out on rods. You really wanna just build the engine once :)
Matt

18 Silverado 1500 work pig, roof rack and tonneau cover
11 Jetta sedan TDI DSG, rear muffler delete
GONE :( 87 4ktq - 4 FOX SNAKES

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jcarrick
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Re: Lets talk Rods

Post by jcarrick »

That is a great description of them, ha.

I understand what you are saying for sure, but if they are just as good as rods that cost twice as much, why spend more money? Some people say they actually come from the same factory as Rosten and IE rods and just have a different name.
-Jon

1995.5 urS6 Avant
2003 A4 Avant 1.8t
1997 F350 Fummins
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jcarrick
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Re: Lets talk Rods

Post by jcarrick »

Double post. Stupid Tapatalk
Last edited by jcarrick on Sun Feb 19, 2017 2:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-Jon

1995.5 urS6 Avant
2003 A4 Avant 1.8t
1997 F350 Fummins
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PRY4SNO
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Re: Lets talk Rods

Post by PRY4SNO »

Hank told me that most rods come from the same Chinese factory when we were talking the merits between brand x and brand y (think it was scat and dm forged). He said the difference was in the machining at the end of the line... how tight and consistent are the tolerances being what influenced the final pricing the most.

I'd say try it out. Have them balanced before you install them, take note of how close they were to be gone with for future reference. ALH blocks aren't impossible to find, reasonably priced. If you window the block, at least you'd know for next time. As long as your machining costs don't inflate the final costs, though I'd balance rods even if they were Carillo or Pauter. ..
Find me on Instagram @pry4sno

|| 2010 Golf Sportwagen TDI /// #farmenwagen
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jcarrick
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Re: Lets talk Rods

Post by jcarrick »

PRY4SNO wrote:Hank told me that most rods come from the same Chinese factory when we were talking the merits between brand x and brand y (think it was scat and dm forged). He said the difference was in the machining at the end of the line... how tight and consistent are the tolerances being what influenced the final pricing the most.

I'd say try it out. Have them balanced before you install them, take note of how close they were to be gone with for future reference. ALH blocks aren't impossible to find, reasonably priced. If you window the block, at least you'd know for next time. As long as your machining costs don't inflate the final costs, though I'd balance rods even if they were Carillo or Pauter. ..


Yes, I have heard that as well.

That's another good point. Basically any rod you get should be check and potentially machined to final accuracy. Here's another good thread with some good info on this:
http://www.mgexp.com/phorum/read.php?41,2265921

I think I'm going to run them. Everything is going to the machine shop anyways, so as long as it all checks out, we'll see what happens. I really want this build to go completely against the grain of the ideology of the US TDI community :foff: Plus, if these rods end up working out, like I think they will, it could open up another viable option for 20vt platforms.
-Jon

1995.5 urS6 Avant
2003 A4 Avant 1.8t
1997 F350 Fummins
Noisy Cricket
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Re: Lets talk Rods

Post by Noisy Cricket »

Assume that the bolts are forgeries and buy genuine ARP bolts.
Pete, that rallycross guy

'06 Volvo S60 R (Swedish GTR)
'84 RX-7 (bridge ported, fuel injected, way modified dirt buggy)
'86 QSW (MC2 goes here. Eventually.)
'81 RX-7 (restoration project)
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jcarrick
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Re: Lets talk Rods

Post by jcarrick »

Noisy Cricket wrote:Assume that the bolts are forgeries and buy genuine ARP bolts.


It has actually been confirmed, with ARP, that the Maxspeedingrods do come with genuine ARP 2000 bolts and that they source directly from ARP.
-Jon

1995.5 urS6 Avant
2003 A4 Avant 1.8t
1997 F350 Fummins
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Re: Lets talk Rods

Post by Noisy Cricket »

It's been confirmed elsewhere that they came with forgeries... Maybe that particular batch came with real ones and the other batch came with fakes.
Pete, that rallycross guy

'06 Volvo S60 R (Swedish GTR)
'84 RX-7 (bridge ported, fuel injected, way modified dirt buggy)
'86 QSW (MC2 goes here. Eventually.)
'81 RX-7 (restoration project)
'73 RX-3 (poor man's Mk2 Escort)
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scubagli
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Re: Lets talk Rods

Post by scubagli »

I have them in my built block, it's been confirmed by two well known tdi gurus that they are the same rods that ie, and rosten sell, just final machining is done in house....my machinist has been building race motors for 30+ years, he said the rods were fine. I made a point of having him check them...

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jcarrick
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Re: Lets talk Rods

Post by jcarrick »

scubagli wrote:I have them in my built block, it's been confirmed by two well known tdi gurus that they are the same rods that ie, and rosten sell, just final machining is done in house....my machinist has been building race motors for 30+ years, he said the rods were fine. I made a point of having him check them...

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Good to hear! Have you got ran it yet?
-Jon

1995.5 urS6 Avant
2003 A4 Avant 1.8t
1997 F350 Fummins
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chaloux
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Re: Lets talk Rods

Post by chaloux »

Sweet! Good news from the dudes.
Matt

18 Silverado 1500 work pig, roof rack and tonneau cover
11 Jetta sedan TDI DSG, rear muffler delete
GONE :( 87 4ktq - 4 FOX SNAKES

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scubagli
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Re: Lets talk Rods

Post by scubagli »

No still not together, I've had some personal issues, hoping to have it in the 4k and running by the end of the summer.

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dana
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Re: Lets talk Rods

Post by dana »

cool info on those rods, maybe I should have put a set in my car.

Right on about the TDIclub. I've posted some stuff on my car build, and literally nobody even looks or comments on it. Not to toot my own horn, but my car is pretty badass as far as 1.9 diesels go, but people asking which stage 1 tune to purchase will get 1000 times more feedback than anything I have posted.

The only feedback i ever got from there was that my setup would not work. 20k miles and lots of smiles later disagrees.

There is literally like 3 people posting regularly on there that do any kind of out of box thinking and hot-rodding. Annoying when you come from the land of OG audi dudes who are trying crazy shit all the time.
current:
-mk4 tdi wagon with some mods
-TDI b3 90q, holset turbo, be strong little connecting rods!
-the turbo tractor
past:
-11 second 90q junker
-20vt swapped 90q winter beater
-efi 20vt 4kq
-way too many other long gone urs's, 200's 4000's, b5's
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jcarrick
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Re: Lets talk Rods

Post by jcarrick »

dana wrote:cool info on those rods, maybe I should have put a set in my car.

Right on about the TDIclub. I've posted some stuff on my car build, and literally nobody even looks or comments on it. Not to toot my own horn, but my car is pretty badass as far as 1.9 diesels go, but people asking which stage 1 tune to purchase will get 1000 times more feedback than anything I have posted.

The only feedback i ever got from there was that my setup would not work. 20k miles and lots of smiles later disagrees.

There is literally like 3 people posting regularly on there that do any kind of out of box thinking and hot-rodding. Annoying when you come from the land of OG audi dudes who are trying crazy shit all the time.


Do it Dana! Then do compounds :D

Totally agreed there. It's so frustrating just reading through threads on there trying to find good info. People naysay EVERYTHING!

Your car is super badass! I really hope you keep pushing it and just burn their little box to the ground :foff: That's my plan anyways, haha. And if we continue to document things on here, maybe others will start pushing the envelope and not sticking to TDIClub :we: .
-Jon

1995.5 urS6 Avant
2003 A4 Avant 1.8t
1997 F350 Fummins
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dana
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Re: Lets talk Rods

Post by dana »

My plan is to stick with the stock bottom end as long as possible in my car. (although, and unplanned explosion would probably change things). Starting a major home project will keep the development on this car on the back burner. I do plan to add my 11mm pump, which i assume will make it a bit meatier all through the powerband. I would probably do a bigger single if I ever did change the turbo, like maybe an hx30 or hy35. No real plan on that though. I do want to run it at a drag strip, i expect pretty lame trap speeds, but i want to see what it cuts in the 60'.
current:
-mk4 tdi wagon with some mods
-TDI b3 90q, holset turbo, be strong little connecting rods!
-the turbo tractor
past:
-11 second 90q junker
-20vt swapped 90q winter beater
-efi 20vt 4kq
-way too many other long gone urs's, 200's 4000's, b5's
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vt10vt
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Re: Lets talk Rods

Post by vt10vt »

dana wrote:I do want to run it at a drag strip

I've been meaning to apply for my passport...
-Shawn C.
2001 S4 6spd Avant blk/blk - stock daily
2002 01E B6 A4 Built FYF, Built 1.8T, HX35 ~330whp
1989 MC-1 200 Avant- MS1 -Gone but will never forget her lessons
1987 5ktq Sedan - Best $500 beater ever
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scubagli
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Re: Lets talk Rods

Post by scubagli »

I haven't logged in to tdi club in 4 years the people there are all introverted engineer fruitcakes. Dana I bet your car will trap in the 100mph to 120mph range...

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Last edited by scubagli on Mon Feb 20, 2017 8:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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dana
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Re: Lets talk Rods

Post by dana »

scubagli wrote:I haven't logged in to tdi club in 4 years the people there are all introverted engineer fruitcakes. Dana I bet your car will trap in the 100mph to 100mph range...

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Yes, that sounds about right. It comes out of the hole so hard it still surprises me when I really launch it, but you can tell it won't trap too fast.

Shawn, get your passport, and we'll go to naiperville sometime.
current:
-mk4 tdi wagon with some mods
-TDI b3 90q, holset turbo, be strong little connecting rods!
-the turbo tractor
past:
-11 second 90q junker
-20vt swapped 90q winter beater
-efi 20vt 4kq
-way too many other long gone urs's, 200's 4000's, b5's
Noisy Cricket
Posts: 225
Joined: Sun Mar 24, 2013 11:19 pm
Location: Cleveland, OH

Re: Lets talk Rods

Post by Noisy Cricket »

Recently on another forum someone spammed maxspeedingrods.

So if you buy them, you are supporting forum spam.
Pete, that rallycross guy

'06 Volvo S60 R (Swedish GTR)
'84 RX-7 (bridge ported, fuel injected, way modified dirt buggy)
'86 QSW (MC2 goes here. Eventually.)
'81 RX-7 (restoration project)
'73 RX-3 (poor man's Mk2 Escort)
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