do i need to balance my used rods, or get new ones

[AirCooled71super]

well ive already bought most of everything for my 1679, carbs, heads, pistons, jugs, rockers, engine tin and everything in-between and my spending is starting to get out of praportion, im in it about $1700 so far. so i really want to cut back. my question is do i need to balance my old rods from my 1600 or can i just use them as is, or is it best to buy all new ones, thanks

[SCOTTRODS]

well ive already bought most of everything for my 1679, carbs, heads, pistons, jugs, rockers, engine tin and everything in-between and my spending is starting to get out of praportion, im in it about $1700 so far. so i really want to cut back. my question is do i need to balance my old rods from my 1600 or can i just use them as is, or is it best to buy all new ones, thanks

If your "used" ones are in spec,.... use them, but balance them. You will have to insure the new ones are balanced also,... so why spend based on that. (unless you're planning one some slightly longer ones or something to that nature)

[Jim Ed]

In the How To Keep Your Aircooled VW Alive book by John Muir he they show a neat way to balance rods.

[Piledriver]

A set of SCAT CrMo I beams with std ARP 3/8" bolts is about a ~push $ wise with having a set of stock rods rebuilt (properly)
Last set I handled checked out <1/8th gram out.
The ARP2000 versions don't cost much more.

Don't. Waste. Your. Time.

[Bruce2]

A set of SCAT CrMo I beams with std ARP 3/8" bolts is about a ~push $ wise with having a set of stock rods rebuilt (properly)
Last set I handled checked out <1/8th gram out.
The ARP2000 versions don't cost much more.

Don't. Waste. Your. Time.

Most stock rods don't need rebuilding. Many engine builders just assume it and blindly spend the $$$ without actually checking the rods.
Usually the big end is NOT out of round or out of spec, so no need to do anything there. Measure them!
The small end sometimes gets a bit loose on the wrist pin. In that case you can save some money by pressing out the bronze bushing yourself and pressing new ones in. Then drill the 3 oil holes. That way, all the shop has to do is hone the bushings.

Weigh your rods. If they are all within 5 g, that's VW spec. For a low revving stock engine, that's good enough. Or balance them yourself.

[crvc]

In college I snuck into the chem lab at night and weighed the rods. Using the computerized scale and a small file I got them all within 0.5g of each other.

kevin