Connecting rod nuts/bolts

[Indy452]

What is the preferred method of fastening the con rod nuts to the bolt? Mine have a small grove smashed from the nut to the bolt....how is this done exactly? Or can I abandon this and use lock-tite on the threads? Both??

How do you guys do it? P.S I'm working on a 1600.

[Marc]

Late in 1972 the stakeable nuts and kerfed rods were phased out - later engines had plain nuts, with no change in the recommended torque specification, so obviously this isn't as critical an area as some folks make it out to be (at least for a mild engine).
Officially, the stakeable nuts are never supposed to be reused although in practice they're good for 2-3 uses - I'd trust a used OEM nut over some of the soft replacements I've seen.
I have a drift that I've ground to the right size/shape to stake the early nuts. On late rods, even though it's probably not necessary I do use a drop of Loctite.

[sideshow]

I was religious in using/reusing the factory stake nut for the first dozen of so engines, not sure why but I went to loctite only and in the last few years (with ARP & the special lube they are coated in) nothing.
I liked the stake, I see no harm in loctite, but modernization has left those as old school.

[Indy452]

Do any of you guys have a picture of how you "stake" these nuts? Or at least of the special drift you use?

Thx...

PS if you use locktite do you use red or blue?

[Turbo_Manx_Maniac]

Most newer H or I beam rods that use ARP bolts don't even use locktite, don't worry about staking the nuts. On stock stuff just use red locktite.

[sideshow]

The punch is hardly the challenge if the crankshaft is out of the case, one just makes a dent into the notch area. Any somewhat dull tool capable of making a dent is sufficient overkill for the peen.

Green loctite when I could find my tube, blue otherwise, never red, ahhh the good old days.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

A center punch works well.

Lee