Conrod Manufacturer ...

[Dan Johnston]

Ive got a 20v 1.8 Audi engine thats going in a mk2 golf ... its pumping out 340 hp and still on stock split rods and Mahle piston ... i want to upgrade the rods but cant go the whole hog of 7-800 notes ... im sure there is a company in Grease or there about who do bespoke stuff just cant remember who it is ??????

There is a Chinese rod package out there for 200 notes inc ARP bolts but i bet there crap as well as there £100 over here in the uk ...

[dt36]

DP Engine Parts in Greece. Also on Facebook.

[OPPOSITELOCK]

Pm sent

[theduck]

I have enquired with DP Engine Parts for a couple of bits before, and despite them having a reputation on here for being affordable, I have always found them to be as expensive or more expensive than the UK manufactured equivalent parts.

As for the China rods, if they are maxpeeding brand, then someone on one of the facebook groups contacted ARP and had it confirmed that they do supply them with genuine ARP bolts. I have used the maxpeeding rods in my pinto build, and lots of the mx5 boys use them too with good success.

[Graham]

I have enquired with DP Engine Parts for a couple of bits before, and despite them having a reputation on here for being affordable, I have always found them to be as expensive or more expensive than the UK manufactured equivalent parts.

As for the China rods, if they are maxpeeding brand, then someone on one of the facebook groups contacted ARP and had it confirmed that they do supply them with genuine ARP bolts. I have used the maxpeeding rods in my pinto build, and lots of the mx5 boys use them too with good success.

interesting,

I had DP contact me trying to do me deals on manufacturing con rods, it never went anywhere as Farndon here in the uk were basically same price.

i have had a couple of sets of maxspeeding rods here, they look good, but when you look at them back to back against the Farndon rods you can see they are not finished to anything like the same quality, there were plenty of machining marks which would of acted as stress raisers in the beams. would i use them? yes in a fast road engine, where they are probably better than old OE rods, do i use them in full race or high spec rally engines no.

[Dan Johnston]

Ive had a few sets made by Fardons or Robson Engineering i think in Coventry one set off I4 rods i had made was 1.5 mm shorter, lovely rod that engine went on to make 229 @ 8200 was on a set of gravel cams Cosworth pistons throttle bodies and a Tony Law manifold and Pectel T2 that was mapped on Harvey Gibbs Superflow dyno ... it went into a red stock looking mk5 escort on steels Gaz coil overs and big brakes ... this is over 20 years ago lol ... bugger dont seem a week ago boy time fly's ....

[stevieturbo]

At only 340hp....do either the rods or pistons even need changing ?

And surely as it's a very common engine, there must be multiple options off the shelf ?

Maxspeeding rods is a strange one. A friend bought a set recently for a RB26....and with their name on the rod bolts were also curious, so he too emailed ARP about it.
However, their reply was that Maxspeeding was a customer of theirs and they did supply bolts to them.

However, that is not quite the same thing as saying "Yes, the rod bolts in the picture are supplied by ARP"

Most modern OEM rods are pretty strong these days, so even the Chinese would need to get it badly wrong to make a worse rod.

[stevieturbo]

ZRP are sort of budget stuff, but look quite decent. They pretend to be from Greece ( and maybe the importer is ), but the stuff is Chinese

https://www.zrp-rods.com/brand/audi/1-8l-turbo-20v/


https://www.bar-tek-tuning.com/produ...s/vw/1.8t-20v/

[Graham]

However, their reply was that Maxspeeding was a customer of theirs and they did supply bolts to them.

However, that is not quite the same thing as saying "Yes, the rod bolts in the picture are supplied by ARP"

.

understandable statement, just because ARP supply them, it doesnt mean all the rods they sell have genuine ARP bolts!

[stevieturbo]

TBH, it was the maxspeeding name on the rod bolts that make them look suspicious. Even though they also have the usual ARP markings too.

But havent really heard any horror stories about any of the chinese stuff really, so they're probably fine.

[Graham]

TBH, it was the maxspeeding name on the rod bolts that make them look suspicious. Even though they also have the usual ARP markings too.

But havent really heard any horror stories about any of the chinese stuff really, so they're probably fine.

most of it is going into the diy world where its not that stressed.

i did have a uk con rod manufacturer tell me they have seen quite a bit of broken Chinese stuff, via pro engine builders that had obviously tried to cut corners on really high spec motors, then ordered from them in a hurry

[theduck]

TBH, it was the maxspeeding name on the rod bolts that make them look suspicious. Even though they also have the usual ARP markings too.

But havent really heard any horror stories about any of the chinese stuff really, so they're probably fine.

Oh that is interesting, because the ARP bolts that came with mine didnt have maxpeeding on them, only the ARP markings.

[wildo105e]

Oh that is interesting, because the ARP bolts that came with mine didnt have maxpeeding on them, only the ARP markings.

Maybe they are genuine fake ARP's then (sorry couldn't resist). Soon the maxspeeding rods will be faked as well.

I have got his all to come when i look at building a duratec which way to go.

[stevieturbo]

Oh that is interesting, because the ARP bolts that came with mine didnt have maxpeeding on them, only the ARP markings.

RB26 rods came with these.

[alladdin]

i did have a uk con rod manufacturer tell me they have seen quite a bit of broken Chinese stuff,

well, to be fair they are not going to tell you anything else are they

[Erikmex]

And quite right too, support UK business!

[Graham]

And quite right too, support UK business!

that was the thing for me about getting rods from DP, if they had been somewhere near the price of Chinese ones maybe, but as they were not i would rather spend my money here in the uk, which is also why i try to use accralite pistons when i can as they are made here in the uk, best way to secure jobs here in the uk is buy uk produce

[theduck]

Have to agree, with the pricing DP quoted, if I was to upgrade from my current engine and piston setup, I wouldnt see any point ordering from them and would just go to one of the UK manufacturers, probably Omega/Accralite for pistons and Farndon for rods as they are both local enough for me to go and see them.

[Erikmex]

that was the thing for me about getting rods from DP, if they had been somewhere near the price of Chinese ones maybe, but as they were not i would rather spend my money here in the uk, which is also why i try to use accralite pistons when i can as they are made here in the uk, best way to secure jobs here in the uk is buy uk produce

Absolutely, and lest face it, the support and dialogue you have here is always far better too, i apply the same in business also.

[stevieturbo]

Biggest problem with a lot of UK makers of such things....ask them for 4...and no chance. Which when the 4cyl market is huge, and people may want custom units, seems a bit poor to potential customers.

Whereas certainly for custom stuff, US makers are far more willing.

[Erikmex]

Economy of scale applies everywhere, thats not a UK thing.

[stevieturbo]

Economy of scale applies everywhere, thats not a UK thing.

So 4 pistons or rods in the UK is different to 4 pistons and rods in the US ?

I've never had an issue getting 4 custom made in the US. I've never been able to get 4 made in the UK.

[Erikmex]

In manufacturing terms yes...becasue their production costs are less.

[stevieturbo]

In manufacturing terms yes...because their production costs are less.

Price didnt come into it.

I'm saying they point blank refused to make 4. It was quite a few years ago...and presumably manufacture or design abilities then may have been more difficult or something.

I wouldnt expect the same level of service today when making things is so easy.

[Erikmex]

id imagine it would be cost as it wont be cost effective for them to do a small number run of 4, if they can design 100 then they can design 4, i could on autocad quite quickly, it will be donw to cost, unless they dont design them at all. Theyre not exactly complex things to draw up.

[Graham]

So 4 pistons or rods in the UK is different to 4 pistons and rods in the US ?

I've never had an issue getting 4 custom made in the US. I've never been able to get 4 made in the UK.

the only issue i have ever had getting 4 rods made is having to wait 12 weeks