[Barry_R]

I don't like perforated oil ring lands.
And I am an engine builder these days... :O

They are an added variable in the ring stack in terms of an extra piece, with it's dimensional variance and quirky installation tolerance/deformation stack up (due to a clamp load around the groove ID) in an area where other dimensions are measured in tenths. They are a necessary evil in certain builds - but I consider them as something to avoid if other options are possible.

In terms of performance the cubic inches will pretty much always win any street contest.
In terms of oil consumption a couple items are noteworthy. First is that everybody has a different tolerance for oil usage. One guy won't ever notice if he uses a quart every few thousand miles 'cuz he changes it every month during the summer. The next guy will get upset if he sees the stick down a half quart between annual changes. Just because you don't see blue smoke does not mean that you're not using oil...

I tend to think that teh 5.4 rod deal is a fashion statement with no benefit. A shorter rod would keep the oil ring clear and have no downside. Mark has made pistons and shorter rods with the market result being that darn near nobody cared. They all read magazines that extoll the virtues of a longer rod with no quantifiable benefit.