The Ford Barn

Bored&Stroked · 06-29-2025, 07:30 AM

Thanks Ronnie . . . as usual, we tend to be on the same flathead page.

As I mentioned to Hank in a DM, it is not a bad idea to open up the big-end of the rod about .001 or so . . . to achieve a bit more oil clearance. This is probably more important with the hard copper type bearings, than with the Cad-Silver ones (where it is easier to "polish away" some bearing material with ScotchBrite).

When using a rod hone, you have to make sure that the final operation highly polishes the big-end bore . . . and it is a bearing surface. You do not want a cross-hatch like on a normal insert bearing rod.

06-29-2025, 07:30 AM	#1
Bored&Stroked Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 5,723	Re: 21A rods set up on a 4" Merc crank Thanks Ronnie . . . as usual, we tend to be on the same flathead page. As I mentioned to Hank in a DM, it is not a bad idea to open up the big-end of the rod about .001 or so . . . to achieve a bit more oil clearance. This is probably more important with the hard copper type bearings, than with the Cad-Silver ones (where it is easier to "polish away" some bearing material with ScotchBrite). When using a rod hone, you have to make sure that the final operation highly polishes the big-end bore . . . and it is a bearing surface. You do not want a cross-hatch like on a normal insert bearing rod.