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Manley Performance knows that diesel racers are totally fearless of boost these days and is offering Pro Series I-beam connecting rods for the Powerstroke and Duramax.
“A major customer came to us to manufacture premium rods for the Duramax,” says company CEO Trip Manley. “He gave us objectives and target weights. Then we started getting feedback and online requests for a Powerstroke rod.”
The Duramax, left, and Powerstroke connecting rods from Manley.
The rods are manufactured from 4340 forgings and machined for optimum balance and strength requirements. The rods are then shot peened and Magnafluxed. Holding the big end together are 7/16-inch ARP 2000 bolts, and AMPCO 45 wrist-pin bushings are featured on the other end.
The Powerstroke rods measure 7.128 inches and weigh 1,450 grams. The Duramax rods measure 6.417 inches and weigh 1,130 grams. The pin end on the Duramax rod is a machined with trapezoidal profile, meaning the top if 1.280-inch thick while the bottom of the hole is 1.535 inch wide.
Another view of the Powerstroke and Duramax rods.
Manley also showed off a new piston for Subaru’s FA20 engine. Made from forged 2618 aluminum, it features an offset wrist pin. Other highlights include chromoly pin (9310 upgrade available) and pressure balance groove.
The piston will accommodate 1mm-oversize valves, and standard 86mm and 86.10mm bore sizes are available. Compression ratio is 10.0:1 with 15cc dish. Although not shown in the photos, the pistons will come with a moly coating on the skirts.
“Tuners keep adding power to this engine,” says Manley. “Some of the stock components can’t handle the power.”
Manley also offers a Pro Series I-beam connecting rod for this piston. It measures 5.090 inches and is machined from a 4340 forging. Manley rates the rod at over 1,000 horsepower.
Manley also has a new piston for the Subaru FA20 engine. Production pistons will feature a moly coating on the skirts.
For dirt-track racers, Manley also talked about its 4340 non-twist forged crankshaft that is IMCA legal.
“It doesn’t come in under the 48-pound minimum and it’s not gun-drilled,” says Manley. “It’s a really good crankshaft that fits all the rules criteria.”
The cranks features a 3.480-inch stroke with 2.450-inch mains and 2.100-inch rod journals. It’s heat treated, stress relieved, shot peened, nitrided and fully Magnafluxed.
