440 Rod Bearings

Any DIY tips for changing rod bearings in stock 440 conecting rods?  

Cleanlyness is critical...    in the car or out????

why are you changing the rod bearings???      do you have a rod knock????  

do you have oil pressure problems????

stay lube .. moly graphite assy lube...  

properly calibrated 3/8 drive torque wrench...  check it against a beam type torque wrench...  do not adjust it your self.. send it in if its off..

stop by an engine rebuilder...  pick up several sets of connecting rod bolt boots...   3/8 id clear vinyl hose will work..  as you really really don't want to knick the crank.. the rod bolt threads are usually harder than the crank surface... it will mark the crank if the rod bolt touches the journal face...

do to the external oil pump on this motor.. you might want to leave the oil filter off and the spark plugs out...  put in 2 quarts of 10-30 motor oil... crank the engine till you get oil flow out the filter mount.. screw a filter on.. put normal weight oil in.. crank the motor till you get oil pressure on the gauge.. then screw in the spark plugs.. and fire it up..  watch the oil pressure...  

Without resizing the rods installing new rod bearings is just asking for a spun bearing.  

X2 with what the good doc said. If the rods have been in a long time, I would also install new rod bolts as well. You got any idea what the inertia from the piston and rod assembly does to the rod bolts? Every time the piston reaches TDC (top dead center), the entire big end of the connecting rod is pulled out of shape for an instant, and then snaps back into shape. Got any idea what that does to the rod bolts? Yup, they are stretched in that same instant. Imagine now, how many cycles a stock rod bolt has gone through in a 440 where they have been installed for 30 or 40 years. Can you say metal fatigue? Unless the rod bolts are fairly new from a rebuild where the rods were also resized, I think you're cutting off WAY too big a corner.  
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It is enough that Jesus died and that he died for me.

i would think.. if he comes back.. that he might want to read these articles..

http://www.enginebuildermag.com/Article/68208/get_your_bearings.aspx

http://www.enginebuildermag.com/Article/1492/back_to_basics_reconditioning_connecting_rods.aspx

this is the most important thing to read...

http://www.enginebuildermag.com/Article/2526/highperformance_engine_failure_analysis.aspx

so you can read the parts as they come apart...     written by a former staffer at many of the magazines here ..  

I will check out those articles now. I know the motor was rebuilt 10 years ago, but very little specifics.  Any way of telling if the rod bolts were replaced?  Also any opinion on stock 440 rods?  I think the motor should be about 500 hp when complete.  

The stock 440 rods are very good pieces. In fact, most good engine builders will agree that the regular 440 rods are superior to the famed six pack rods. The six pack rods are just way too heavy and frankly, unecessary. No, I don't think there's any way to tell about the rod bolts. ....and unfortunately, there's a large group that firmly believes factory rod bolts are the greatest thing in the world and to leave them alone. I've run into this a lot. Stupidest thing I ever heard. We're not trying to jump on you here...or tell you how to do things. We just don't want to see your engine come apart, when we couldda helped.  
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It is enough that Jesus died and that he died for me.

500 HP? resizing the old rods and new bolts will give you some piece of mind.
If the rods have been resized in the past and are 40 yr. old pieces it may be time to step up to some Eagle I or H beams. They are reasonably priced and are ready to go right out of the box with HD bolts.  

I realize that of course!  You guys are all being very helpful and I appreciate the input.  Thats why I'm asking.  I am BRAND new at this and probably don't have any business trying, but it is fun as hell.  in fact it is consuming me right now!  I just wish I had the money to do it all the right way.  But in a way I guess it makes it more fun that way.  I will be shocked to hear it run, but that is a while off.  

if the engine was out of an average car or truck that never was revved high the rod big end can be measured and may be fine. stock rod bolts look different than hi po if u know what to look for. stock bolt heads are plain, hi po say sps or arp etc or have a dimple in the center of the head for a stretch gauge. measure the crank and rod end or use plastigage, if all check out ok go for it, big mopar stuff is strong if she measures ok, unlike others with cast rods.  

There is a dimple on the end.