I need new con rods for my road-going Mk2 16v. The internet seems full of MaXpeeding rods at great value compared to others. Has anyone any experience of them, please? Thank you
pretty sure they are better now, that was some time ago.. I seem to remember some respected VW officionados have tried them with no issues. my question would be, why do you need new rods?
Good point, surely the boggo, dammit near unbreakable 144 rods are everywhere? Rifle drilled and all from new. 1.8 8 and 16v ones are the same iirc, and 9a, 6a, even non sporting variants
THank you. Why? I've had a disaster and am a bit gutted about it. I've had the engine rebored and planed and valve guides and seats, etc., and am rebuilding it while my rolling shell gets a full outside and under bonnet respray. Crank went in like a dream and spins nicely. New pistons are fitted to my old con rods, as you'd expect, but the bolts are one-shot. Having tried for ages to find new con rod bolts without spending near £200 on ARPs, Eventually tracked some Febi Bilstein bolts down. Many a check they were the right ones and all. But when fitting them Saturday to the first piston they were a little tight. Id expect them to be tighter than my old ones, so I wound them in with a nut and washers. But now the bolts are out of true and the caps dont slide on, and i have distorted the metal of the big end where they are too tight, so they'll pinch the bearing unless they are filed down. All tiny measurements, and they might be salvageable, but I recon I shouldn't really trust them now - and they are scrap. Im gutted, as said before! Onwards and upwards. Thanks for the reply.
I thought about second hand rod to replace my damaged one, but the BE bolts are so hard to source unless you pay £150 plus carriage for ARPs, which is near what these MaXpeeding rods/bolts cost all-in. Hence the question. I like the sound of new rods and trouble-free just-torque-em bolts!
I have been digging around for around 3 hours on this subject, spoken to a few tuners too as i am nearly ready to forge my engine. All have advised to stay away from those rods, some people have great success and others don't, it seems to be hit and miss. By far the most recommended brand has been 'Pro-Race Engineering' from the people i have spoken too, some digging on the 1.8T tuning pages also see's them pop up alot, and they are similar money to ZRP/Hurricane rods but cheaper than IE.
Hi Tristan, Please could you give me a little more information on these '144 rods' so I can find out and maybe order some? Thank you.
The 1.8 and early 2.0 rods are referred to as 144, as that is the length of the rod, centre to centre. And tbh, most people reuse the rod bolts, as indeed I have done myself in several engines.
If your rods have 026198401A as the part number, they are common to 8v, 16v , numerous Golf, Jetta, Passat, Scirocco, van, Audi 80, 90, 100 etc. Pretty much anything that had a 1.8 or earlier 2.0.. I think I even have 4 on a shelf in the shed. Edit * actually, I don't think they have the part number stamped on them. But vagcat etc show that part number for 16v and 8v.
Thanks Tristan. Maybe i'll try to cannibalise someones discarded short engine. If I don't chicken out and buy ARP bolts at £150 plus carriage, what torque would you use for second-time bolts? The first time is 30nm plus 180 degrees or something similar, but what do you use second time? Can you keep going with half a turn of stretch a couple of times?
Head bolts are a no brainer for replacement every time. I'd rather re-use VW OE rods bolts and nuts than use some bling pretty 'steel' unknown material ebay special rod. But that's just me. Farndon rods, yes, expensive for a reason. Jon Rods and valves/valve trrain have to work for a living...………..
