Titanium connecting rods forged aluminum pistons

[john52216]

Hi my name is John Hunn and I am new to the site but have been a 3.1 enthusiast ever since I bought my first 1992 Chevy cavalier that had the z24 package and the 3.1. I now am a student at Ranken technical college and I am going there for high performance racing technology. I am machining and building up a 3.1 gen 2 with aluminum headed engine, I have ported the head and am flowing 235 intake and 150 exhaust, I bought a custom ground solid flat tappet cam with a 220/230 lsa 114+4 running a 1.62 rocker and for the bottom end running titanium connecting rods with custom machined forged pistons (2318 aluminum) running 10:1 compression, stock crank and running ARP hardware all over. I am going to run a 100-125 shot of nitrous. To also add some strength to the lower end and for reliability I have made a custom main girdle with the use ARP studs. this is just a little of what I am doing if you have comments suggestions any bit of info that I could use please let know if you would like info on the main girdle please let me know

Thanks John Hunn

[IsaacHayes]

Interesting, Ti rods? FWIW on the gen3's people run 100 shots on 3400's no problem. And run 9-12psi no problem on stock bottom ends. 9psi puts down over 300 to the wheels.

[bszopi]

Pics and sources would be good. Welcome to the site!

[60dgrzbelow0]

Did you custom make the Titanium Rods...or are they some kind of new aftermarket product? The reason I'm asking is that AFIK... it is impossible to lubricate Titanium with standard, organic or even synthetic oils for that matter... because these lubricants will not cling to the light, white metal surfaces at all. The only thing I'm aware of that ever worked in the lubrication end during experimental engine building ..was common iodine... as this was the only thing liquid that would remain on the metal parts long enough not to allow the components to overheat from the excessive friction...and seize. If you have new information on how this is being accomplished...I would be very interested in knowing how it is being successfully done. Nonetheless... Welcome to www.60degreev6.com... and the Very Best of Luck to You on Your Project!

[85maro]

Teflon? LOL

[60dgrzbelow0]

Teflon? LOL

http://www.onepetro.org/mslib/servlet/onepetropreview?id=WPC-8521&soc=WPC

[IsaacHayes]

The LS7 has Ti rods....

[bszopi]

Eagle and Crower both make aftermarket Ti rods. Its not really anything new... Just expensive!

[85maro]

http://www.onepetro.org/mslib/servle...C-8521&soc=WPC

That was a joke, actually.

[BlackJack]

The reason I'm asking is that AFIK... it is impossible to lubricate Titanium with standard, organic or even synthetic oils for that matter... because these lubricants will not cling to the light, white metal surfaces at all.

Maybe I'm not a genius, but if the rods are made of Ti, I would think that you would still have the bearing surfaces that would be lubricated that are not made of Ti, and therefore that would not apply in this case?

[Superdave]

Hi my name is John Hunn and I am new to the site but have been a 3.1 enthusiast ever since I bought my first 1992 Chevy cavalier that had the z24 package and the 3.1. I now am a student at Ranken technical college and I am going there for high performance racing technology. I am machining and building up a 3.1 gen 2 with aluminum headed engine, I have ported the head and am flowing 235 intake and 150 exhaust, I bought a custom ground solid flat tappet cam with a 220/230 lsa 114+4 running a 1.62 rocker and for the bottom end running titanium connecting rods with custom machined forged pistons (2318 aluminum) running 10:1 compression, stock crank and running ARP hardware all over. I am going to run a 100-125 shot of nitrous. To also add some strength to the lower end and for reliability I have made a custom main girdle with the use ARP studs. this is just a little of what I am doing if you have comments suggestions any bit of info that I could use please let know if you would like info on the main girdle please let me know

Thanks John Hunn

235 and 150? at what lift and test pressure?


I've managed to get about 200 cfm @ .6 on the intake but that's useless since the customer's cam is less than .5 lift.



In for a full flow sheet, i can't even imagine the amount of material you had to remove to get those numbers.


Welcome by the way

[85maro]

The sides of the big & small ends contact the crank & piston Blackjack.

[BlackJack]

The sides of the big & small ends contact the crank & piston.

Agreed on the crank as related to the SIDES of the rod, but would the oil not adhere to the sides of the crank arms?

On another note, the small end of the rod should have a sleeve in it that the piston pin goes through. I sincerely hope that the small end of the rod in your engine isn't touching your piston elsewhere.

[85maro]

LOL, my 2.8's pretty old and starting to make some funky noise. But seriously I know it's into the babitt on the rods. It makes that lovely noise on cold starts. Thought it was rocker noise at first but it goes away when I disconnect sp from that cyl. Before I swap in my hybrid it's getting nuked with n20.

Lubrication's not an issue, which is why GM's using it. The concern is titanium's ability to 'weld' itself to other materials under friction which I suppose might possible at certain times.

[AaronGTR]

Yeah, I don't see using titanium as being a problem (other than expense) as long as they are designed correctly. Several hi performance cars have come from the factory with titanium rods including the Honda NSX. Only problem with titanium rods is they are really made for light weight and high rpm, and don't have that much power capacity. As evidenced by people with NSX's trying to boost them more than about 9psi and blowing motors. Even with a good alloy, titanium is just too brittle. If you want to make big numbers you really need forged steel.