aluminum rods in circle track engine...?

[DRTRCR22]

Ok, this may be a stupid question... but is it possible to run aluminum rods in a circle track late model engine...? I tried to research here but can not find any previous discussion. I have been told that aluminum rods will stretch during the acceleration and deceleration cycles and hit the heads or valves...? 358 SBC, 64cc heads, shaved .010, .225 dome forged, 9.010 decked block, 630 lift roller cam, fully balanced high end rotating assembly with really good high end aluminum rods... dare I take a chance to run it... say under 7800 rpm in dirt late model 3/8 mile track ...???

[LM14]

Don't do it. Wrong application for a part.

SPark

[MBR Performance]

They are not designed for the continuous duty of a circle track engine.

[zeroracing]

Remember guys used to do it with mods in the late 90's and early 2000's, seemed a dice roll with many more breaking than living. Real time bombs.

[racer1355inpa]

I did it one time for sh*ts and giggles. 358 sbc flat top engine. Worked great. Super light assembly. Revved up quick and turned 8000 all season. That being said though, I wouldn't do it again. Its a ticking time bomb imo.

[Necrosis]

If you know your sh!t, you can do it all day long, and just replace rods every 1000 laps. You have to determine the fatigue rate based on reciprocating weight, stroke, heat, cylinder pressure at certain degrees, etc. As long as you're within the limit of tension fatigue and cycle life, you're fine. That said, most folks don't like driving that style engine. Also, a billet crank will help tremendously with Aluminum rods.

[Bubstr]

On a 430 you will lose around .020 in deck height, which reduces compression quite a bit. They make them strong enough but when they do they go off their diet. They use them in blown fuel burners, not because they are strong, but because they compress and save the main webs in the block. They switch them out like dirty socks. The stretching and compressing acts like bending a paper clip over and over. POP!!!

[DRTRCR22]

Darn... OK guys, thanks... :/ I bought this really nice rotating assembly a few years ago and built the complete motor planning on quitting dirt cars and going drag racing instead... however that never happened. now I am in need of a new power plant in my DLM and was wondering if it could work. I guess I could either try to sell this engine and build a new one, or tear it down and change out rotating assemblies and try to sell this one...? thanks again... Jim

[dirty white boy]

don garletts use to take a drimel an engrave his name on the big end an sale them as souvenirs at his museum in ocala fla,...thay live better in a drag motor because there never any deceleration forces applied on the rods drag racing,..dirt track racing applies deceleration forces erry time you enter corner....