mgb-v8
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: piston choice

To: <mgb-v8@autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: piston choice
From: "Carl Floyd" <cmfloyd@chartertn.net>
Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2004 09:04:52 -0500
References: <4c.28aa46da.2d6fc3c0@aol.com> <403E96BE.2010802@speakeasy.net>
Reply-to: "Carl Floyd" <cmfloyd@chartertn.net>
Sender: owner-mgb-v8@autox.team.net
Another happy Keith Black hypereutectic piston Customer here. I run 'em in
my 400 HP '68 Camaro. Speed shift at 6500, goes to over 7000 before it
grabs. Great step up from cast piston without the cost of a real race
piston.

What James was saying is that you install  cast and  hypereutectic pistons
with a tighter piston-to cylinder wall clearance than a forged piston.
Sometimes you can hear piston slap on a cold engine with forged pistons and
their loose clearances.

Personally, I would use the KB hypereutectic pistons in my 3.9 Rover if I
could get them. And I'm sure I'll run it harder than you will. :)

Carl F.
MGBV8 in TN


----- Original Message -----
From: "James J." <m1garand@speakeasy.net>
To: <CraigFaubel@aol.com>; <mgb-v8@autox.team.net>
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2004 8:00 PM
Subject: Re: piston choice


> Craig,
>     I have found that Hypereutectic pistons are quite cheap, if it is
> not a custom order.  They give you that extra bit of strength, and they
> don't expand, contract, and rock like forged ones do while they heat
> up.  Think of how long many cars go with their original cast OEM
> pistons.  10 years or more.  Usualy the piston is not what fails.  Most
> cars are sold long before the internal components suffer irreperable
> damage.  Usualy it is a bearing problem, and often that is to a gummed
> up oil system, not just material failure.  Also, we are putting these
> engines in cars that are only 60% of the weight of the OEM cars.  Take
> the T-5 transmission, for example.  It is rated for an engine producing
> no more than ~300 Ft-lbs (depending on the year).  But that rating is
> based on a 3600lb car.  They actualy can handle much more torque in a
> 2100 lb car.
>     So stock pistons are actualy a safe bet in our little cars, and
> hypereutectic ones are great insurance, and can handle mild boost or
> nitrous (key word: mild)  Forged are the strongest, cost twice as much,
> and will cost you torque on short drives because of all the blow-by
> before the piston fully expands (although some new alloys have a much
> lower Coefficient of Thermal Expansion).
>     I'm using the Ford 255 pistons (+0.030) in my Rover 3.9 stroked
> engine, as per the LaGrou recipe.   I only bought cast ones because no
> one makes a stock hypereutectic replacment that isn't a custom order
> (key word: expensive).  But all the ones I've seen for Ford 302/351 and
> SBC Chevy are very reasonably priced.
> Best of Luck.
> JJJ

///
///  mgb-v8@autox.team.net mailing list
///  Send admin requests to majordomo@autox.team.net
///  Send list postings to mgb-v8@autox.team.net
///  Edit your replies!  If they include this trailer, they will NOT be sent.
///


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>