should i get the arp main stud and bolt kit or just use stock? do i need to get this thing balanced after i put on the new pistons?

 

Balance, 100% yes. Main studs, if its in your budjet. I have pushed 600hp on stock main bolts and 2 bolt mains on a sbc. You have 6 bolts.

 

in my book it doesn't say to replace them just replace the out side ones the one that go side ways to the main caps. just wanna be safe thats all. i figure with that many it would be ok lol. if all else fails i'll take the ones outa the 4.8 it has very few miles on it.

 

Gotcha. I was thinking 6L for some reason. These guys seem to think that the stock rods will hold and they know more about that than me. However, if it was ME, I would spend the extra $$ on forged rods. Saving a couple hundred bucks now is great but if it ends up costing you a block because a broke rod goes through it, then it wasn't so great. Not trying to worry you just thinking out loud. I'm FI on a stock bottom end myself but when I do a rebuild I will go all forged.

 

oh yeah later on i will be doing a fully forged 402 but if i spend all my money on this one then i won't have it later to do the 402. and i can't make a ls1 into a 402 anyway so i have to buy a block. well i could but i'm not gonna sleeve it.

 

I'm about to throw about 800fwhp to a set of stock LQ9 rods w/ arp bolts & stock crank. We will see how strong they are.

 

rock on let us know what happens