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By Paul Johnson September 05, 2018Racing puts engine components to the ultimate test. Argentinian racer and founder of Saenz Performance, Eduardo Saenz, was always searching for a competitive edge. Like many racers, the available parts were not good enough for his racing endeavors. When high-quality engine connecting rods and transmission parts were not available, he made them himself at the family business.Saenz has been precision-manufacturing connecting rods as well as manual-transmission components for more than 30 years. In the sport compact market, Saenz has offered forged, custom-made connecting rods made of 4340 steel, 300M, and titanium, but the company has recently added off-the-shelf A and S-Model rods to its lineup.Connecting rods are the critical link between piston and crankshaft. No other component in your engine takes more of a pounding than the connecting rods and bolts. In one revolution of an engine, the connecting rod is subjected to compression and tension at thousands of pounds per square inch. As such, you need to select the right material, production method and weight of a connecting rod to complement a race or high-performance engine.

Saenz exclusively produces forged rods. The forging process squeezes the metal into its final form, so the molecules of the metal are tightly packed together for superior strength compared to cast or powdered-metal rods. Rod strength and durability are critical for any engine. If the connecting-rods or connecting-rod bolts break, your engine will suffer a catastrophic failure that will damage the block, crankshaft, heads, and other parts.Recently, the company has expanded to offer rods in 4340 and 300M for popular import engines, such as Honda K20/K24, Subaru EJ2.5, and Toyota 2JZ-GT/GTE. In addition, these forged rods are offered in I- and H-beam configurations. Saenz does not offer lower-end, powdered-metal rods that are often found in stock engines. Saenz H-beam rods are up to full race specifications. The A-series is available in a number of sizes while the S-model features a standard big end for 5.575- and 6-inch lengths. These are equipped with premium quality L19 (or better) grade ARP bolts.Current Saenz Performance owner Ignacio Saenz Lancuba, explains how the company started: “He [father Eduardo] started it because he loved race cars and he used to be a professional racer in Argentina. My grandfather used to have a heat-treatment company for metals. So as a side game, there was factory space to start fixing and making stronger parts in Eduardo’s car. Then it became a business, and he also began fixing the gears of the gearboxes – he did it for friends as well. That’s how he first got into the gearbox end of the business. Then other racers and teams recognized the parts he was making and they started buying from him.” From the 1970s, Saenz established itself as a leader in connecting-rod technology. A number of race teams built engines using these rods for competition in the 24 hours of Daytona, World Rally Car, the Dakkar Rally, and other forms of racing.

Now, Saenz offers a full range of connecting rods for many import engine platforms, and they can manufacture custom-made rods for nearly any engine. The custom rods are offered in 4340 steel, 300M, and titanium for the ultimate in lightness and strength. The A-series are offered in forged 4340 steel and 300M at stock and popular lengths for various import engine platforms. The S-series are made of 4340 and meets industrial specifications, but it is not built to military spec standards.Saenz stands apart from many other connecting-rod manufacturers because of its quality – other connecting rods are made at rock-bottom prices in the Far East, where premium materials, the industry-standard production processes, and quality controls are not used. With many off-brand or generic rods, the advertised material spec is different than the actual metallurgical composition of the rod. In addition, these rods are often not designed, developed, and tested for high-performance and durability. Saenz rods are designed for the best weight and strength characteristics, forged, machined, and extensively tested for durability. Saenz rods are manufactured to the highest standards and that’s why famed race-engine builder Cosworth recommends them to its customers.