PRODUCT DETAILS
ARP Rod Bolts - 2002-2006 Acura RSX Type-S / 2006-2011 Honda Civic Si (K20A2/K20Z1/K20Z3)
Building your K20 and worried about throwing a rod? You need ARP rod bolts. The factory K20 rod bolts are pressed-in bolts that aren't designed for high RPM or high boost. If you're building the engine for turbo, nitrous, or revving past 8,500 RPM, the factory bolts can stretch or fail. ARP makes these rod bolts from ARP2000 alloy, which has 200,000 PSI tensile strength. That's way stronger than the factory bolts. These are sold as a set of 8 (one per connecting rod), and they use ARP's Wave-Loc design to keep the rod cap and rod body aligned under load.
Why You Can't Trust Factory Rod Bolts
Here's the thing with factory K20 rod bolts: they're pressed into the rod and they're not designed for big power or high RPM. Honda engineered them for stock power levels and maybe 8,000 RPM. If you're boosting the motor, running nitrous, or building a high-comp all-motor setup that revs to 9,000+ RPM, the factory bolts aren't going to cut it. They'll stretch, and when they stretch, your rod cap shifts. When your rod cap shifts, you're throwing a rod through the block. ARP rod bolts fix that.
ARP2000 Alloy Is Way Stronger
ARP2000 alloy's got 200,000 PSI tensile strength, which is about double what you're getting from standard aftermarket chrome moly rod bolts. It's also got about 200% more fatigue life, which means the bolts handle repeated high-RPM cycles without fatiguing or stretching. If you're doing track days or drag racing where you're beating on the motor constantly, the extra fatigue life matters. You're not replacing rod bolts every season because they've stretched.
Wave-Loc Design Keeps Your Rod Cap Aligned
ARP's Wave-Loc design uses a wave washer under the bolt head. When you torque the bolts down, the wave washer keeps constant tension on the bolt and prevents the rod cap from shifting relative to the rod body. That's huge because if your rod cap shifts even slightly under load, you're scoring the big end bore and the rod's done. Wave-Loc prevents that. It also reduces stress on the rod bolts themselves, so they last longer.
12,000+ Pounds of Clamping Force
These bolts can deliver more than 12,000 pounds of clamping force when you torque them to spec. That's the force holding your rod cap onto the rod. If you're running big boost or high compression, you've got massive cylinder pressures trying to rip that rod cap off. More clamping force means the cap stays put no matter how hard you're pushing the motor.
What You Get
- ARP Pro Series rod bolt kit (set of 8 bolts)
- ARP2000 alloy construction
- 200,000 PSI tensile strength
- Wave-Loc design for alignment and stress reduction
- 200% more fatigue life than 8740 chrome moly
- 12,000+ lbs clamping force
- CNC machined and heat treated
Compatible Engines
- K20A2 (2002-2004 RSX Type-S)
- K20Z1 (2005-2006 RSX Type-S)
- K20Z3 (2006-2011 Civic Si)
Fits Your Car
- 2002-2006 Acura RSX Type-S
- 2006-2011 Honda Civic Si
Note: Nuts aren't included. You'll need to reuse your factory rod nuts or buy ARP rod nuts separately. Torque the rod bolts to ARP's spec using ARP Ultra-Torque fastener assembly lube. Don't use motor oil or some other lubricant you've got sitting around. The torque spec's different depending on what lubricant you use, and ARP's torque specs are based on their assembly lube. If you're not familiar with torquing connecting rod bolts, have a machine shop install these for you. Don't guess.