Okay, at the risk of looking like complete idiot. How concerned should I be if I inadvertently overtorqued both nuts on one of the connecting rods? I know that the torque spec for the rod bolt/nut is 45ft/lbs max, but for some dumb reason I had the setting on my torque wrench at 100 ft/lbs. I didn't get to 100 ft/lbs, since it dawned on me that it felt tighter than when I took off the nut, but im pretty sure I went over 45 ft/lbs

If the bolts need replacing, are they pressed onto the rod? I did pull the two caps off to inspect for wear. The bearings look serviceable but no copper showing on the bearing surface. Also, is it normal for a bearing insert to remain on the crank when you initially pull a rod cap off?

 

It's your decision how much risk you take, but if you did not stretch the bolts beyond their yield limit they should be fine. If the torque wrench got easier to turn after a certain tightness, then the bolts are damaged.

You can also measure the bolts with verniers and compare them to the others.

It would seem that if the bolts can be tightened to their recommended value, then they have not been ruined. I assume you have a 351, I think the small V8s use lower torque values.

Sometimes bearing shells stick to the crank, usually they stay in their bores. I would use plastigauge to check the bearing clearance.

 

Thanks for your input.

 

You're welcome!

I had an unsatisfactory torque experience with my other off-topic Ford that uses TTY (torque to yield) head bolts. They are supposed to be replaced every time they are removed, so I bought new ones.
Well as I was doing the final half turn or whatever it was, some got extra tight, and it seemed others got a little looser - what the heck! I guess they are designed to permanently deform, but it seems like a poor system as it seemed to me that some bolts were clearly tighter than others.
However I've been driving that car for years now with no problems. I rebuilt a head on another of those cars and this time reused the best bolts from the two engines I had and torqued them to what was correct for the size and grade of bolt, and that was also a success.

 

You list a 302 in your signature. Even 45 ft/lbs is over doing it for the factory 5/16 bolts. The bolts are a press fit and contrary to popular belief, you can change them one by one in an assembled engine. If you're going to change them, get ARP's, not the stockers

 

Sorry, I should've mentioned that I am swaping out the 302 with a this used 5.8. I was looking for ideas on how to replace the bolts, if needed, without removing the piston. Can you share how you would do it? The heads have already been removed to install a set of GT40 heads.

Thanks for your input.

 

I did this in an assembled reman 5.0 shortblock several years ago. The reason I did was the rod bolts were stockers and overtorqued by the rebuilders. I removed (then reinstalled) them one by one with the short block on an engine stand. Rotate the crank as needed to get access to the nuts. Remove the nut, then drive the bolt out of the rod with a hammer and punch, they're not really tight as is, it takes very little effort to get them out. Once the bolt is out, reinsert a new bolt, get it as far into the rod as you can by hand, then using the rod nut, pull it into place, staying under the torque value. Once it's snug in the rod (the head may not yet contact the shoulder of the rod face, pull it with the nut until it is), then tighten it more until you reach max torque. After you've done all 16 bolts, let it sit a day or so, then go back over all the nuts with the torque wrench at max value. After that they should be good to go. I ran that reman short block with a B303 cam, 1.7 rockers, ported E7 heads and a high rise dual plane intake and Holley 650 backed by a Toploader 4 speed. It was subjected to daily "freeway blasts" up to 6500 rpms for a year and a half. After that, I replaced the heads and intake with a Vic Jr and Canfield heads, then subjected it to 7500 rpm blasts for a month and a half when it cracked a cylinder wall and blew a head gasket. The rods never gave me any issues. I sold them (rods and pistons) to another guy who used them in another build

 

If you're in doubt about the rod bearings, go ahead and replace them with fresh bearings of the same size, the backside of the bearings are stamped: std, .010, .020, .030. Get new bearings of the same size. Dry the rod surface and insert the new bearing shells, lubricating the bearing surface (not the backsides). You can also replace the rod bolts outside the engine if pulling them. Place the big end in a vise, sandwiched between wood blocks, then replace the bolts one by one, using the same method I described above.

 

If you want to replace the rings, this can also be done with new rings of the same size. You'll need to hone the cylinder walls to get a fresh cross hatch and a ring compressor to put the pistons back in. Use new moly faced or black iron rings for this. Do not buy chrome faced rings, these are harder on the walls and take longer to break in. Doing all this and replacing the main bearings will net you what used to be called an "overhaul"