Connecting Rod nuts

[DollyDodge]

Hi: When I took off the rod caps on my truck I found that it has 3 different nuts, three rods had regular nuts and lock washers, one had a split nut (like the kind where you use a cotter key to hold in place) and a lock washer, and two rods had nuts with no lock washer but there was an integrated ring that goes into the rod cap (at first I thought it was a lock washer that was stuck on the nut, but it isn't it is part of the nut). Should I go ahead and use what is there or should I replace the odd ball nuts with nuts and lock washers, or is what I have the way it should be?

Rob

[Merle Coggins]

The castellated nut is a form of self locking nut. The castle parts are slightly crimped in to squeeze the threads slightly and help to lock the nut. The other one you describe may be some sort of self locking nut as well. I can't quite picture it from your description.

Merle

[DollyDodge]

Merel: My question is should I replace the nuts so they are all nuts with lock washers (that looks like what is in the parts manual), or should I leave the three types of nuts that are currently on the engine?

[Merle Coggins]

I don't believe that they are regular off the shelf nuts and washers, but if you can find the proper rod cap hardware, from ARP or someplace like that, then by all means replace them. Otherwise, if they were working before they'll probably work again. And since they're inside the engine, nobody's gonna know except you.

Merle

[DollyDodge]

Maybe I should leave them, it gives the old beast Character

[Olddaddy]

Order a set of connecting rod nuts from either Terrill Machine, or Vintage Power Wagons.

[Guest P15-D24]

Do the job right and order the correct parts.

[Tony WestOZ]

It might pay to check the rod caps.

On the engines I have just pulled down the 53 motor has nuts with a washer but the two latter motors have just a nut.

The caps are machined differently to accomodate the washer.

[DollyDodge]

the caps on my truck all have and indentation that is round that is the size of the lock washers. The one nut I described has as flange on it about the same size as the lock washer and it fits into the indentation on the cap. I should take pictures because my description isn't good. I cant work on the engine right now because there is snow on the ground, as soon as it clears off I will take some pictures. I put all the nuts back in the same places they came from. It just seems strange to me that there would be three different types of nuts on the engine, unless they were there for some reason.

[DollyDodge]

I attached a drawing of the nut that I found on the internet. It isn't exactly correct, but close enough.

[Young Ed]

That looks like a nylon insert lock nut. Certainly not what I would think belongs in an engine.

[DollyDodge]

It is a drawing of a nylon insert nut. I should have said that what I have has that shape, but it is all metal, sorry.........

[greg g]

At this point instead of running the mongrels, you probably should order up a new set clamped withthe proper hardware. they you won't need to worry about them. As noted there are two if not three sifferent systems and they doen't work with mixed components.

Talk to the folks at Vintage Power Wagon, or Terrill Machine in Texas.