Connecting Rod Installation

flathead4rd

flathead4rd

Well-known member
When installing a piston and connecting rod, what determines which way the the rod faces. I know some pistons have a mark which is supposed to face the front of the engine but what about the rod? If it is supposed to only face one way, what would be the down side if it was installed backwards? Someone said the marking on the rod should face the outside of the engine. Is that correct? It's an 8-BA.
 
Yes that is correct. Also, the squirt holes on the rods are to lube the cam, so directionality is relevant.
 
I have some 8BA rods without the squirt hole. When did Ford make that change to add squirt holes and why? Wasn't the "splash technique" good enough? Also, did adding squirt holes change the rod bearing configuration?
 
The '49 cars did not have the squirt holes. I can only guess why he added them in late '49 and '50. Perhaps it was found that the inserted rods did not lube the cam as well as the earlier floaters.
Jack, "directionality" - noun, related form of directional.

When I have found some with and some without in the same engine, I have drilled my own squirt holes.
 
Thanks to all who replied. I had only taken out one piston to replace a rod bearing and wasn't sure if I put it back in correctly. So, the only down side would be the squirt hole facing the wrong direction and wouldn't cause any other problems?
 
flathead4rd said:
Thanks to all who replied. I had only taken out one piston to replace a rod bearing and wasn't sure if I put it back in correctly. So, the only down side would be the squirt hole facing the wrong direction and wouldn't cause any other problems?
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If it has a squirt hole, it should be facing the right direction.

Shouldn't it?

Mart.
 
Russ/40 said:
Yes that is correct. Also, the squirt holes on the rods are to lube the cam, so directionality is relevant.
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Most of the Ford V8s made after 1950 or so (flatheads, Y-blocks, FEs, MELs, Clevelands, Windsors etc) had connecting rod oilers of some sort, and their purpose was to squirt oil to an opposite cylinder wall, according to some earlier shop manuals that go into more operational detail than those in this day and age, so I'm betting the flathead oil holes performed the same function. They do point or aim towards the cam. :)
 
19Fordy said:
I have some 8BA rods without the squirt hole. When did Ford make that change to add squirt holes and why? Wasn't the "splash technique" good enough? Also, did adding squirt holes change the rod bearing configuration?
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Ford knew all along about 'squirt holes', as A and B engines had them..trivia :) ?
 
The connecting rods with cyl. wall lube holes when mounted on the right bank (pass side) are to face to the rear.
When mounted on left bank (drivers side ) holes face forward.
 
Most v8 engines have the bearing tangs facing the oil pan rail of the cylinder that it is installed in.regardless of who it is ford chevy dodge.The squirt holes only function when the hole in bearing lines up with the crank journal oil hole.

R
 
personally, I don't think it makes a difference which way the rods face. Mechanically there's no difference. However the tangs face the side rail in the assembly manual??
 
The squirt holes were added in Flathead rods to lube the camshaft and lifters. During long periods at idle, specifically police cars, wear was becoming noticeable. These statements from about 60 years ago came from the St. Louis area District Service Manager for the Ford Motor Company.

Some Service Manuals have incorrect information about hole orientation. However, the "numbers to pan rails" has always been accurate within the several engines I have seen.

In the case of Federal-Mogul rebuilt rods they began drilling a second, neutral, hole and added a coordinating hole in rod bearings so as to eliminate any need for orientation education.
 
I have never seen a oil hole in any Canadian built rods. Can't have been too big of an issue if all their factories didn't do it.
 
A hole may be for going in or coming out. I don't think A or B rods have squirt holes cos there wasn't any oil in the rods to squirt! The holes in the big ends are to try to get some in....
 
Those "squirters" turns out in later years for the most part were considered non-essential.

Just to be clear, there were numerous mfr's using them for many years! Showing in the photo below are 2 Olds connecting rods, very close in years. I know the one on the right that has the "slot" is from a very recent resto on a '71 Olds Cutlass.

You can also see that the brg tang locations go to the inside on the Olds line.

The replacement H-beam rods don't have these!

I also agree with Ron above, if the chamfer on either side of the rod cheeks doesn't interfere with the crank radius AND there's no offset on the beams they could go either way?? The chamfers on the 8BA rods I have here are all equal on both sides!

Thanks, Gary in N.Y.

P.S. Here's another item we are seeing lately on newer units, the brg tang grooves have been eliminated. I spoke with Mahle/Clevite and they confirmed that these will de dropped on many brgs in the future! Over-the-counter replacement brgs for some newer Mopar V-6's are already made this way!
 

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This shows it. Note that a deeper (higher volume) oil pump was part of the addition of squirt holes.
 

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Be careful when using the lettering to determine which way to face the rod. The lettering is NOT always on the tang side of the rod. This pic is a brand new Scat rod. Lettering is on wrong side.
 
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4tford said:
Be careful when using the lettering to determine which way to face the rod. The lettering is NOT always on the tang side of the rod. This pic is a brand new Scat rod. Lettering is on wrong side.
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Those rods in your photo need to be installed with the "narrower" chamfers facing each other, the "wider" chamfer goes against/towards sides of the journals.

This is to clear any large radius that MAY be ground into the crank journals. It's good practice to not pay attention to where the numbers are on any aftermarket rods, but watch these chamfer positions closely. Most cast cranks don't require any special "narrow" bearings, it won't hurt to use them but most aren't required.

Thanks, Gary in N.Y.

P.S. The 1 set of Eagle H-beams I have here are opposite yours with respect to the numbers, theirs are numbered on the tang sides and the chamfers are equal.
 
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