# Do all new engines use cylinder offset and cracked rods? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [August 29, 2023, 2:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-all-new-engines-use-cylinder-offset-and-cracked-rods/192547 "2023-08-29T14:51:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hugemoth\_144444](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ee7513/32.png) [@Hugemoth\_144444](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Hugemoth_144444)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 2:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-all-new-engines-use-cylinder-offset-and-cracked-rods/192547/1 "2023-08-29T14:51:54Z")
The engine in my Nissan has offset cylinders and cracked rods. Is that the norm nowadays or do most modern engine designs still build them the old way? ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 2:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-all-new-engines-use-cylinder-offset-and-cracked-rods/192547/2 "2023-08-29T14:55:58Z")
Both are used. Cracked powedered metal rods are common but forged rods are still used. Offset pistons have been used to reduce noise for 80+ years. I think there are engines built with offset cranks but it is not universal. Why would this matter to you? Or just curious? ---
**Author:** ![Hugemoth\_144444](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ee7513/32.png) [@Hugemoth\_144444](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Hugemoth_144444)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 3:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-all-new-engines-use-cylinder-offset-and-cracked-rods/192547/3 "2023-08-29T15:26:37Z")
Just curious. I haven’t seen either cracked rods or offset cylinders myself but haven’t rebuilt a car engine in many years. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 3:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-all-new-engines-use-cylinder-offset-and-cracked-rods/192547/4 "2023-08-29T15:28:17Z")
Like a vee engine would have? The cyl bores are offset from bank 1 to bank 2? ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 3:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-all-new-engines-use-cylinder-offset-and-cracked-rods/192547/5 "2023-08-29T15:33:50Z")
> [@Cavell](#): > > The cyl bores are offset from bank 1 to bank 2? Vee engines more typically have the cylinder centerlines pointing directly to the crank center with no offset. Usually it is only the piston pin that is offset. But the crank can be offset as well to reduce friction in vee or inline engines. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 8:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-all-new-engines-use-cylinder-offset-and-cracked-rods/192547/6 "2023-08-29T20:02:07Z")
I think our esteemed colleague @Cavell is referring that v-engine cylinders are by necessity offset bank vs bank. Opposing cylinders can’t line up, b/c there’s only one crankshaft that both bank’s connecting rods must connect to. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 8:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-all-new-engines-use-cylinder-offset-and-cracked-rods/192547/7 "2023-08-29T20:04:08Z")
“Offset” here refers to a difference between the center line of the cylinder and the center line of the crankshaft, as mentioned above. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 8:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-all-new-engines-use-cylinder-offset-and-cracked-rods/192547/8 "2023-08-29T20:10:51Z")
Ok, thanks for the clarification. As I understand now, if a line extended from the center-line of the cylinder intersects with the perpendicular line defined by the center-line of the crankshaft main bearings, then that is defined as “no cylinder offset”. Hopefully someone will explain the term “cracked rods” … seems like an undesirable thing … lol… ---
**Author:** ![Hugemoth\_144444](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ee7513/32.png) [@Hugemoth\_144444](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Hugemoth_144444)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 9:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-all-new-engines-use-cylinder-offset-and-cracked-rods/192547/9 "2023-08-29T21:54:56Z")
Cracked rods are a way of manufacturing connecting rods in one piece then cracking off the rod cap. The advantage is the cap fits the rod more precisely which holds the bearing more precisely for a better fit on the crank journal. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s-Me](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/it_s-me/32/12660_2.png) [@It\_s-Me](https://community.cartalk.com/u/It_s-Me)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 11:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-all-new-engines-use-cylinder-offset-and-cracked-rods/192547/10 "2023-08-29T23:57:39Z")
> [@George\_San\_Jose1](#): > > Hopefully someone will explain the term “cracked rods” … seems like an undesirable thing … lol… > **[Rheinmetall](https://www.ms-motorservice.com/int/en/technipedia/cracked-connecting-rods-6)** > > Cracking doesn't have any disadvantages but it does have one major advantage: it ensures that the connecting rod shank and the bearing cap fit precisely. But what should you watch out for during installation? ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2023, 3:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-all-new-engines-use-cylinder-offset-and-cracked-rods/192547/11 "2023-08-30T03:24:22Z")
My 1996 Dodge Stratus has fracture-split forged connecting rods. 245,000 miles, seems to be durable but time will tell. ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2023, 7:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-all-new-engines-use-cylinder-offset-and-cracked-rods/192547/12 "2023-08-30T07:57:20Z")
I had a friend that raced a1965 Barracuda 2 bbl carb engine in a stock 280 class hydroplane. That engine has offset pistons. He swappedthe offset to reduce friction. When they finally caught on the make him install them in the stock direction. He still won a lot of races.