Hey everybody. I have a particular question I can't seem to find an answer to. Here's the sitch

I've got some evo 8 pistons and rods coming. I've also got some eagle rods coming, thought I cancelled the order, but they're on their way.

I think i've decided I haven't got the cash for forged pistons, and the evo pistons machined for circlips should suffice, I don't think I'll make more than 450hp maybe 500 if I wanna push it for a day, and at about 8.3:1 safe tuning will be easier and I feel they should be okay for my needs, although the added raliability of forged would be nice. However I do want to go with the eagle rods for added assurance, and this is where my question comes in.

Can I use the evo 8 wristpins with the eagle rods once they've been pressed out of the evo 8 connecting rods? Can I use OEM evo 8 wristpins at all? Do I need the wristpins they include with forged pistons? Are those the same as oem wristpins?

If I need new wrist pins for my evo 8 piston / eagle rod combo, can anybody help me source some? I've been looking around for the last few days to no avail.

Wrist pins are specific for pistons so your using evo 8 pistons you stick with the wrist pins for that piston! Pressing these pins out is not easy and they have to be set at the right depth so if you do use then again make sure your data is perfect and reinstall them in the same perfect way!

As long as your rods are sized right then the pins will fit fine. If your only going to make 450-500 then the oem evo stuff will be fine. Its kinda border line but alot of evo guys seem to make decent oower on stock rods and pistons but its also torque that bends the rods so tune it to come in nice and steady will be a safe tune for them, and your rods can be sold or returned but if you want peace of kind then keep the rods and use them.

I'm going to have the machine shop install the bottom end, so I'll have them do the wristpins as well. That's good to know they'll work. I just wasnt sure if wristpins meant to be pressed into the rod would work in a floating rod, especially if it's been pressed out.

I'm thinking the evo pistons can make me go as fast as the rest of the car can without breaking, especially since I can't seem to find a reasonable transmission upgrade for less than $7000 CAD or so, and if I have the cash for foged pistons later down the road I could install them and retune in a devoted day or two probably.

The rods are always moving its the piston thats floating or pressed pin style. As long as they check before they install them its all ok. If they need to bore the bush for the sleeve they will do to the tolerance allowed

Does anybody know if I can have the sleeve from the small end of the eagle rod pressed out and one with a slightly smaller I.D. pressed in?

If so I presume that the oil feed holes wouldn't be necessary the machine into the new sleeves since they are would be designed to be an interference fit with the wristpin, but can anybody confirm?

Also, if this is a possibility, does it really matter what metal the new sleeve is made of? I'm assuming any decently hard steel should be fine, but should I use a particular type of metal for this?

Usually, the small end has a bushing in it. I have a set of Manley I Beams that need the small end replaced, it appears that the motor they were in had some excessive PTW clearance and those small end bushings would let a NEW wrist pin "wobble" a little when I tried to use them.. I contacted Manley and they quoted me $80 to rebush the whole set of 4 pistons which I am going to have done. Why not contact the rod manufacturer and see if they can do the work you seek?

That's a fantastic idea. I didn't know eagle might do that. I'll check with them.