Have you seen this rod bolt?

It is a Fiat 850 rod bolt. M8X1.0

In much the same way that you can buy 3 sets of 20 ARP small block ford head bolts for the price of one set of 10 ARP fiat head bolts I am trying to save a few clams by using bolts from another application. Honda bolts were close. If they weren't 9mm they would have been perfect but the 8mm are not the same style. They have a "T" cap.

Any of the knowledgable folks here know of a more common motor with rod bolts of the same dimensions? Just trying to avoid getting hit with a $149 bill for a set of 8 ARP rod bolts.

It was quite a simple decision to tap the block to 7/16" to use the larger, stronger SBF head bolts. The rods don't have enough material to drill and tap for use with the honda pieces, hence I turn to you.

And the answer according to the helpful folks at ARP is.......

Ford Zetec

I have a part number. Now to find the lowest price

It would be funny if they were a lot cheaper. Every SAAB 900 owner knows the $20 thermostat is the same as the VW $8 piece....

Jerry From LA wrote: It would be funny if they were a lot cheaper. Every SAAB 900 owner knows the $20 thermostat is the same as the VW $8 piece....

And 944 owners know the inner tie rods for a 944 are $85 but the rabbit ones (100% the same) are $22. The auto world is full of this sliding cost based on badge.

BMW S14 valve seals = $20
Fiat x1/9 valve seals = $3
BMW S14 valve seals = Fiat x1/9 valve seals

We really need a masterlist of this sort of thing.

ARP rod bolts from a Fiat race supplier = $129 ARP rod bolts for a Zetec = $63.75

Happy frankenstien Fiat owner = priceless

www.showmetheparts.com

If you sign up you get more than just the couple years in the drop down menu.

ditchdigger wrote: ARP rod bolts from a Fiat race supplier = $129 ARP rod bolts for a Zetec = $63.75 Happy frankenstien Fiat owner = priceless

Rock on, sir. You started a movement.

There are a bunch of Kia 1.8 engine parts that are the same as Miata parts but at lower prices. Lifters were the ones I priced, but I can't remember the numbers.

A small block chevy thermostat interchanges with a BMC A series 1275.

Mustang 5.0L ARP rod bolts will fit in water cooled VWs if you grind the heads down just a tad. They're about half the price per set, and you get twice as many.

http://www.drhess.net/crystal_princess.htm#Parts%20Substitutions

It's quite popular (in certain circles). My personal favorite cross is the Blanking Radiator Cap is the same as a 1950 Chevy Bel Air.

T.J. wrote: A small block chevy thermostat interchanges with a BMC A series 1275.

i think a small block Chevy thermostat fits pretty much every American V8, and a lot of them use the same gasket that has slotted holes. also, a lot of Ford, Chevy, and Dodge products use the same fuel pump gasket.

Hello,

I know this thread is very old, but I own a 600 Abarth. A friend of mine blown his Abarth engine through a broken rod bolt. Since then I am searching for ARP bolts. After some googling I found this thread and ordered some Zetec ARP con rod bolts.

Unfortunately they do not fit. They are not the same length as is shown in this thread (44mm) however this is not a very big issue. The other difference is its thickness. It is 8.3mm against the 8.1mm Fiat bolt. Meaning the bolt wont go completely in cap and conrod.

I could return the item but maybe I can adapt them, so it can be used.

The cap en connection rod does not leave much room for reaming. My other thought was to machine the arp bolts down to 8.1mm by turning 0.1mm material off.

My question is can I machine the ARP bolt without drastically weakening the bolt. I do not know if the bolt is only hardened on the outside?

One other question. Did I order the wrong bolts? There is only one version of the Zetec M8 rod bolts I thought?! Maybe they revised them?

Frankly I'd spend the money on the real deal. Machining bolts destined for repetitive stress reversals is just asking them to crack, and the crack will be right along the machining marks. Good rod bolts aren't polished for appearance sake, it's to eliminate potential stress cracks.

I'd ream the rod to fit the bolt then have the con rod rebuilt.The shop doing the rods likely can do the whole deal. Reducing the dowel diameter of the bolt won't weaken it unless stress risers are imparted-but it's gonna be alot of work to fab a fixture to grind down the bolt. Maybe ARP could do it.

This was indeed a while ago. I did have to ream out the rods to fit the zetec ARP bolts.

These days I would (and have) just ordered the inexpensive h beam rods that are now available.

Canadian price for anything= 2x USA price. So for a Canadian, this game is even more valuable.

44Dwarf wrote:

Jerry From LA wrote: It would be funny if they were a lot cheaper. Every SAAB 900 owner knows the $20 thermostat is the same as the VW $8 piece....

And 944 owners know the inner tie rods for a 944 are $85 but the rabbit ones (100% the same) are $22. The auto world is full of this sliding cost based on badge.

Escort ZX2 strut tops are twice as expensive as '98-02 Escort strut tops, and have different part numbers, but I can't find a functional difference between the two...