Connecting rod question

[Suddensix]

The con rod from my 49 218 has a casting # 954371. Can anyone tell me the inside diameter for the big end? My manual does not have that info. Thanks for any and all help.

[blueskies]

The con rod from my 49 218 has a casting # 954371. Can anyone tell me the inside diameter for the big end? My manual does not have that info. Thanks for any and all help.

I just sent my 218 rods to James Curl, perhaps he can measure one of them for you? Might send him a PM.

Pete

[james curl]

Suddensix, I measured two of Pete's old rods and they measured 2.175"/2.178". The casting number on all six is 954371 but the other side of the rod carries another number. Three are 12472, and one each 12577, 12479,& 12462. Hope this helps.

[blueskies]

Suddensix, I measured two of Pete's old rods and they measured 2.175"/2.178". The casting number on all six is 954371 but the other side of the rod carries another number. Three are 12472, and one each 12577, 12479,& 12462. Hope this helps.

Wonder what the other numbers are? Pretty sure these rods were original to my '50 218 as it didn't look to have ever been opened up. Had 86,000 miles on it when I tore it down.

Pete

[Suddensix]

Suddensix, I measured two of Pete's old rods and they measured 2.175"/2.178". The casting number on all six is 954371 but the other side of the rod carries another number. Three are 12472, and one each 12577, 12479,& 12462. Hope this helps.

Thanks James, that info will help.

[martybose]

Wonder what the other numbers are? Pretty sure these rods were original to my '50 218 as it didn't look to have ever been opened up. Had 86,000 miles on it when I tore it down.

Pete

They're probably mold numbers, since clearly they would have a lot of different molds for the same casting number.

Marty

[james curl]

No they are different off set, I did not record the cylinder number for each rod on the original post. Here they are, #1 rod, 12472, #2 rod, 12472, #3 rod, 12462, #4 rod, 12472, #5 rod, 12479, and #6 rod, 12577. On my original 1948 218 P-15 the rods are different casting number which is 954371. The rods are numbered 1 thru 6 as follows. #1 11873, #2 11862, #3 11872, #4 11872, #5 11862 & #6 11872.

[grey beard]

My 218 had all the rods with the same number - 12577 - and the 1953 spare engine I had apart at the same time had the same number on all the rods. The earlier engine used thin-wall lock washers on the rod cap, and a cap with a divot around the nut for the washer to rest in, while the later engine used split lock nuts that rested on a flat boss on the rod cap with no lock nuts. The rods, thenselves, seemed to be idenical in size and number - 12577 - from both engines. The later engine was a T306. The 1948 block is a T142.

[james curl]

If they are all the same numbers how do they handle the offset in the bores to the throws in the crank? If you have an engine block with the head off and the pistons removed you can look down the bores and see that some of the rod journals are not aligned with the bores. The rods that I got from Pete Anderson are offset, if you were to string then on a dowel the size of the piston pin in the order that they go into the engine then you would see the offset on the big ends. Pete has a picture of them all together. I purchased a set of new in the box NOS rods for a P-15. No offset, checking the casting number turns out they are for a 251 De Soto long block thus not needing the offset. They carry a casting number of 954428. If any one needs these rods PM me and for a contribution to the forum they can be yours.

[blueskies]

Here's the pic James mentioned, showing the offset of the 218 rods.

Pete

[grey beard]

James,

I may be wrong, but my understanding of this is that the rods are all the same part for any given engine, but the oil holes are on opposing sides based on where the rod sits in the block. Remember, this is the oil hole we look for when we assemble these engines - the hole that must face the camshaft on installation. Obviously, you are correct in thinking that the offset must fit the conlider in question. JMHO

[james curl]

I have three engines and that has not been the case with mine. The rods are stamped 1 through 6 and the numbers that I posted earlier are the numbers with all of the stamped numbers lined up and visible as they would be when installed in the engine. The big block rods that I bought as advertised 218 rods do not have any numbers stamped on their edges, that is why I made my original post about what sequences the rods went into the engine depending on their code number.