05/09/2026
On the left a 1600 KENT X- FLOW CONROD
On the right a 2000 FORD SOHC CONROD
SAT ROD TECH 🌐🏁
BOTH FORD FACTORY RODS ARE FORGED STEEL, NOTE THE X - FLOW ROD HAS MATERIAL WHERE IS MATTERS, NAMELY UNDER THE WRIST PIN BORE WHERE RODS NEARLY ALWAYS BREAK, ALSO MORE MEAT AROUND THE BIG END TO AVOID DISTORTION AND EVENTUALLY SPUN SHELL BEARINGS. BEAR IN MIND ALSO THE PINTO HAS A HEAVY 90.8 MM PISTON COMPARED TO THE 81 MM IN THE KENT ENGINE. THE NUT AND BOLT IDEA ON THE PINTO ROD IS FAR FROM IDEAL COMPARED TO THE BOLT ON THE KENT ROD.
BACK IN THE DAY WHEN STEVE WAS RUNNING A BUDGET PINTO 2000 ON OVAL TRACK UP TO 8,250 RPM WITH THESE RODS CAME 2ND IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP. THE RECONDITIONED BOTTOM END SUPPLIED TO ME HAD THESE EARLY RODS & ALTHOUGH WE NEVER LOST A BOTTOM END, THE RODS WERE SHOWING SIGNS OF DISTRESS IN THE BIG END BORE, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE RESIZED WITH ARP BOLTS/NUTS. BY THE WAY THE ENGINE HAD OVER 12 TO ONE COMP RATIO (1600 HEAD), TWIN 48 CARBS, EPOXIED PORTS, .525 THOU / 320 ° CAM WITH INSERTED SPECIAL ROCKER ARMS, ISKY VALVE SPRINGS AND RIM FLOW VALVES, BLOCK WAS 'O' RINGED.
