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Re: dumb question (was RE: Is this sacrilege?)

To: Mark Hooper <mhooper@pixelsystems.com>
Subject: Re: dumb question (was RE: Is this sacrilege?)
From: Joe Curry <spitlist@gte.net>
Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2002 07:53:56 -0700
Cc: "'Randall Young'" <ryoung@NAVCOMTECH.COM>, Triumphs@autox.team.net
References: <9BA23A1338324845A50D19D2822007DA02C7F5@PIXEL_WEBSERVER>
Mark Hooper wrote:
> 
> Radall was describing a boosted up Honda with the following:
> 
> >(beaucoup boost, ceramic pistons, lots of combustion engineering)
> 
> I have a dumb question. I have always heard of people buying ultralight
> pistons as part of a performance upgrade, even for TRs. My question is, that
> while I can see how lightening the pistons would help a little for
> acceleration(they don't weigh much compared to the crankshaft, flywheel and
> drivetrain gears and shafting), wouldn't they also cause the engine to be
> out of balance? I mean aren't the crankshaft webs balanced for a certain
> weight of piston and connecting rod? Doesn't just shoving in a set of light
> pistons end up with the engine wearing away at the main bearings? I can see
> any backdoor mechanic installing new pistons, but properly rebalancing the
> crankshaft is no simple matter. Are they just hoping that there are enough
> pistons rattling around in different positions that net cancels out and the
> engine more or less stays in place? Sort of ignoring internal stress? Or do
> I have it all wrong?
> 
> Mark Hooper
> 72 TR6

Mark,
If a rebuild is in process anyway, the crank can be balanced to counter the 
change in piston weight.  That is a normal part of the balance process of
a performance engine.

Joe

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