Rosten Rods and ASV pistons install question

keggo

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May 12, 2007
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SF Bay Area
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2015 Golf TDI
Hi all... as some of you know, my turbo recently went out and I'm getting ready to replace it (17/22 performance package from IDParts). Although I haven't had time to do a leakdown test yet, the compression of my cylinder #1 read somewhat lower than the other cylinders, but not as low as you'd typically see from a runaway (which I didn't have; i.e. less likelyhood of a bent rod; low RPM - very slight, if at all oil ingestion).

I was thinking that when I replace the turbo, I could just pull the oil pan and head (AND do a timing belt job; still have about 20k until the service interval) while I'm doing that work and replace the rods, pistons, and bearings while it's somewhat torn apart.

My biggest question is about balancing the engine. I've seen conflicting arguments on this. Searching around, I've found that some say that Rosten rods are plug and play so to speak, others say differently.

So, will I need to do a full rebuild, having the crankshaft and other bits balanced to the new rods/pistons or can I just "drop" them in successfully?

Any help is appreciated.
 

tothemax

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Aug 7, 2006
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Nevada
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TDIs: 2003 Jetta, 2016 Q5 3.0
They are plug and play. If you take your piston rod assemblies to a good machine shop and just have them balanced. (So they are all pretty close to each other) That should be all you need. He may drill out a bit of the pin to adjust the weights. No need to get the whole rotating assembly balanced or take the whole engine to the machine shop. You can do the whole thing in your car.

Also you will need a flex hone and an ARP ring compressor. You can borrow nine if you want. 83mm FlexHone

Put a bunch of rags at the bottom to keep metal shavings and crap from getting onto the crank shaft. Used some ATF Automatic Transmission Fluid for the cutting oil.

When I did mine, I was careful not to hit the oil squirter with the hone ... having my elbow resting on the rain tray really helped me to stabilize and control the drill / hone very well. Good luck! PM me if you wanna borrow my stuff.

Short answer: just "drop" them in successfully





 
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keggo

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2015 Golf TDI
Wow! Thanks for the info, Pierre! I had never heard of the flexhone before, but it looks like an amazing tool! I'm going to wait a little while on the rods and pistons to let my finances recoup a bit. But, once I do it, I'll definitely be asking to borrow your flexhone. :D

Thanks again, Pierre!
 

NewTdi

Top Post Dawg
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NorCal
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2003 Bora, Reflex Silver
I was just thinking that one day I might have to upgrade the rods and pistons as well ...
 

Farfromovin

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Ventura, CA
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03 Golf 2dr- PD150 6m
Andrew, I think you're about 50hp off of needing rods.

OP- what are your compression numbers? HUGE difference between a turbo swap, and a turbo swap with rods and pistons and a head gasket. You're looking at a 3hr job or a 2 day job (shadetree time, not shop time). I guess it really depends on if your compression is out of spec from the others. I wouldn't just swap in pistons without measuring your cylinders and honing them like Pierre mentioned above. Get a quality inside mic and measure diameter as well as roundness. Opening up the block can lead to all sorts of messes, not trying to dissuade you, just be prepared for pandora's wrath!
 

NewTdi

Top Post Dawg
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Philip, after next week I might not be .. .I am closely trailing Keggo's mods it looks like!
 

keggo

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SF Bay Area
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2015 Golf TDI
Andrew, I think you're about 50hp off of needing rods.

OP- what are your compression numbers? HUGE difference between a turbo swap, and a turbo swap with rods and pistons and a head gasket. You're looking at a 3hr job or a 2 day job (shadetree time, not shop time). I guess it really depends on if your compression is out of spec from the others. I wouldn't just swap in pistons without measuring your cylinders and honing them like Pierre mentioned above. Get a quality inside mic and measure diameter as well as roundness. Opening up the block can lead to all sorts of messes, not trying to dissuade you, just be prepared for pandora's wrath!

Cylinders 2-4 had compression of 500+ and cylinder 1 had compression of 400+. I'm thinking it's more an issue with injector sealing or piston rings. I have a slight leaking issue around the injectors, so I'm going to reseat the injectors when I get my new injector "seals" and do a retest.

Oh yeah, I wasn't just going to plop them in. I understand the supporting work that goes along with them.

Also... I'm just "OP"? Jeez, Phillip! How long have we been in correspondence about HIDs and whatnot? WAH! :( hahahah j/k
 
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keggo

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2015 Golf TDI
Philip, after next week I might not be .. .I am closely trailing Keggo's mods it looks like!
LOL @Andrew! We have the same year with very close mileage. hahaha You just need TT front brakes and some other stuff. hahaha Then again, you have me beat on the suspension front. I really wanted to buy some new suspension this year, but that's put on hold, I suppose.
 

NewTdi

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I know, I am well behind you in mods ... I think I have reached the end of the line for my mods next week after the VNT 17 goes in. Are you going to make it to the GTG?
 

keggo

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I know, I am well behind you in mods ... I think I have reached the end of the line for my mods next week after the VNT 17 goes in. Are you going to make it to the GTG?
Sometimes I wish I had just been content with a stock vehicle. I hear you on the end of the line bit. My wallet is crying right now after purchasing the 17/22 package. With every mod, comes another potential headache. Since I "upgraded" my brakes (spindles and whatnot), I've had a tracking issue where my car constantly pulls, however slight, to the right. I have lifetime alignment at Firestone and get my alignment done pretty frequently and it STILL does it. It's doing the same thing over the course of two different sets of wheels, 3 different sets of tires... (2 sets of tires replaced due to necessity, 1 set still on). I'm thinking one of the spindles is bent. The tie rod ends and ball joints were replaced when I did the job. The brakes are verified to not be dragging... it's a PITA.

I'm REALLY HOPING to make it up to the GTG. Wandlc is coming down from Visalia to help me replace the turbo on Saturday, the 5th. I hope I can make it for at least Sunday, the 13th. If I can, I'll bring food and stuff. :D
 
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tothemax

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Nevada
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TDIs: 2003 Jetta, 2016 Q5 3.0
Wow! Thanks for the info, Pierre! I had never heard of the flexhone before, but it looks like an amazing tool! I'm going to wait a little while on the rods and pistons to let my finances recoup a bit. But, once I do it, I'll definitely be asking to borrow your flexhone. :D

Thanks again, Pierre!
Make sure you also borrow my ARP ring compressor. Makes putting in the rod/piston assemblies a real pce of cake. Maybe you pick them up when you come to the GTG
 
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keggo

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Make sure you also borrow my ARP ring compressor. Makes putting in the rod/piston assemblies a real pce of cake. Maybe you pick them up when you come to the GTG
Pierre, thanks so much for all the offers! I would love to pick them up, but I don't want to hold on to them for an undetermined amount of time. When I buy the stuff, I'll hit you up. :D
 

burpod

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quick question on installing some rosten rods in an AHU i'm building.. and i didn't see anything in the instructions, but are the rods supposed to be oriented in a specific direction? one side of the rods are marked with the rod number - should that be facing forward, toward the front of the engine? and the ARP rod bolts are supposed to be torqued to 30 ft-lbs, with no additional 1/4 turn? (i don't have a stretch gauge)
 

foxracer1

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I had to clearance #4 rod for intermediate shaft clearance on my AHU. Then i balanced them all. I used the heaviest rod for #4.
 

Keebler145

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quick question on installing some rosten rods in an AHU i'm building.. and i didn't see anything in the instructions, but are the rods supposed to be oriented in a specific direction? one side of the rods are marked with the rod number - should that be facing forward, toward the front of the engine? and the ARP rod bolts are supposed to be torqued to 30 ft-lbs, with no additional 1/4 turn? (i don't have a stretch gauge)


so long as all the rod numbers face the same direction you're fine, just don't go flipping them around every other hole!
 

burpod

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cape cod, ma
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82 rabbit vnt ahu, 98 jetta vnt ahu, 05 parts car, 88 scirocco.. :/
ok cool. and the ARP rods are really only torqued to 30 ft-lbs? no additional 1/4 turn? just seems a bit "loose"
 

Keebler145

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lightly oil the threads and torque to 30 foot-lbs. That's what the rosten paper work and franko6 says. I've had them in my car for 20k now beating the snot out of it and no problems that I can tell!
 

burpod

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cape cod, ma
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82 rabbit vnt ahu, 98 jetta vnt ahu, 05 parts car, 88 scirocco.. :/
i just put my rosten rods/asv pistons into my other ahu block for my scirocco swap. it doesn't seem to have a clearance issue with #4 - although it is *extremely* close to the teeth of the i-shaft, but i don't think it's hitting. if it's not hitting, it should be good, right? perhaps the rods that had a clearance issue are a slightly older/different design than the ones i got?
 

vwmikel

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i just put my rosten rods/asv pistons into my other ahu block for my scirocco swap. it doesn't seem to have a clearance issue with #4 - although it is *extremely* close to the teeth of the i-shaft, but i don't think it's hitting. if it's not hitting, it should be good, right? perhaps the rods that had a clearance issue are a slightly older/different design than the ones i got?
Have you ever seen the clearanced intermediate shafts for ABA's? They cut down about half of the gear that drives the distributor/oil pump to allow the use of an early distributor. You probably don't need to go that drastic, but if you're worried about the clearance it might be worth considering. Who knows what heat expansion would do and who wants to find out the hard way?
 

kooyajerms

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burpod,

I've got Rostens and ASV's in my 1Z with a stock intermediate shaft. Whitbread did the build so I didn't see if there were any clearance issues, but I'd think I would know by now if there were =) I even replaced the shaft myself recently with another stock unit. We talked plenty, and he would have mentioned trimming the rods if it was necessary (rod because the shaft looked just like the replacement).

Contact Matt-98AHU, he has ASV's and Rostens in his AHU, he can corroborate that.
 

resto1975

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Sussex UK
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T4 1.9tdi
I had to clearance mine when i fitted them for the same reason i just added more depth to the taper on the shaft and took a tiny amount of the rod.
 

foxracer1

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Location
Dayton Ohio
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98 A3 TDI 5spd, 86 w/TDI 02A in prog.
When i talked to Matt he said i shouldn't have to cause he didn't with kooyajerms.

But when i test assembled mine it barely touched. I had to shave some off my rod. I made more room because i didn't want heat and high rpms to cause a interference.

Bottom line check your combination to be sure.
 
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