i wanted to know if i could remove the stock rod bolts (to install ARP rod bolts) without having to remove the piston from the engine? If i remove the piston from the engine i will most likely do one of two things... replace the piston rings for with total seal rings... or replace the piston and ring combination for low compression pistons (turbo later). but for now, i just wanted to replaced the rod bearings, and bolts... with the main bearings and main bolts with studs...

Used engine? ARP says to always resize rods prior to installing new bolts.

Just a heads up on the total seal rings that you said you might use do yourself a favor and don't!!!!!!! they Are crap!!! I can not over emphesis this i put a set into a ohc6 pontiac in my 66 lemans and burned a quart of oil every 300 miles from florida to washington state then pulled the motor and had to rehone the cylinder and replace them with stock rings. i had the block bored by a machine shop and i personally check the ring gap when i put them in and when the machine shop in washington check the bore was good he said that the rings just never seated, and that he spoke to some freinds of his that were also machinist and they have also seen the same problem with the total seal rings. my father also used them in his 428 and had the same problem my brother also had tons of blow-by with them in his 3.8 grand national. they are just no good, just use some good quality rings and you'll be fine.

hope this helps
Ant

so no total seals..... then who? what brand?

should i just leave the stock bolts in tack and forget the idea all together? unless i replace the pistons and recondition the rods all together. i just don't know if it's a good idea to run clevite 77 tri-metal bearings for the sake of better durability?

thanks a lot for the info guys

You said that you plan to turbo the car how much boost are you planning on running? i was going to turbo mine (lost a rod bearing before i could) so i talked to my brother who has turbo quite a few cars he currently owns a 99 vette that has a ligenfelter twin turbo setup that has about 6psi and he has the dyno sheet showing 500 at the wheels. so you don't need tons of boost to make good power and they did nothing internal to the engine. my point is that if your engine is in good running order as it is and you keep your boost resonable it'll live the way it is. in one post on here a guy said that he was running 6 psi for over 100k with no problems on his 2.8. hope this answers some of your questions
Ant

lets be honest to ourselves here... (i.e. me)... i do not trust myself in leaving the boost level at JUST 6psi... especially not in a vette'!

i just want a rock solid (dependable and reliable) 3.4L DOHC with a turbo. I will initially start with 4psi wastegate spring and then move to a 6psi spring or manipulate it with a boost controller... i just know that eventually curiousity will get the best of me...

i want to get forged 8:1 or 8.5:1 pistons with quality rings, quality bearings, and good head gaskets to be able to "safely" increase the boost without being concerned about blowing the thing up! That's why i want to ultra-sonic or cryogen treat the crank and rods (to tolerate more abuse) and get the necessary hardware (head studs, main studs, rod bolts) to keep it all together.

how common is this bearing problem with these engines? why is it such a frequent occurance?

the engine looks great!, the oil looked nice and brown (this was just a light "look over"), and there was no sign of major leaks (i.e. the heads and valley). but the rear main seal was a little dirty, as well as the oil pan gasket. So these will definately be replaced. i will probably add new bearings while i am in there and get a windage tray (60degreev6.com).

i guess i just don't know the extent of "freshening up" i want to do? you know what i mean?