lets talk pistons

[MrKwik]

I need to buy pistons for the 306 I'm building and Im not sure what I should get. My budget doesnt allow for any high dollar forged units so I am looking at a set of hyper pistons. The main ones I have found in my budget are the speed pro and the kieth black. I can get a set of the speed pro's with rings for about $150 and the KB's without rings run about $200. Is there any advantage to the KB over the speed pro's to justify the cost diff? I also noticed that the KB are floating while the speed pro are press. I seem to remember that when I built my big block, the rods had to be machined for the floating pins. Am I confused or will I have to do that if I go withthe KB's. If there any other pistons in that price range that anyone can reccomend, I'm all ears.

Also, are the total seal gapless rings worth the price on a NA street motor, or should I just stick with some stock replacements?

 

[N8Miller]

well, if i was you, i would save up the cash and then get forged. if you decide to add boost later, you will regret going with those pistons.
dont get me wrong, i have seen some nice HP on hyper pistons. did you try summit brand forged yet? should be affordable.

 

[65ShelbyClone]

Forged really arent that much more than hypereutectics, especially if you're talking about Speed Pros. I know how budgets are and if thats what you can afford, go with it. Hypers arent bad, just be more careful(and KBs are no better than Speed Pro, FYI). If you get floating pin slugs(ie, the more expensive KBs), you'll need to spend yet more money to have your rods machined. Money you might as well have put into forged press-fits. Factory is press-fit, so no mods needed for that.

 

[MrKwik]

Im 99% sure I will never boost or spray this engine so Im not extremely concerned about not having forged pistons. And all the ones I have found are more than twice the money of the hyper pistons. See, I originally planned on reusing the factory forged pistons because the bores were in A+ condition, no ridge or anything. I took the block to the machine shop for a hone and cam bearings and when I went to pick it up the dude says they accidently bored my block So the problem is that pistons werent in the budget at all to begin with. Anyway, now Im kind of leaning to the speed pros. One of the guys here at work says that alot of the guys he races with use em in race motors that are regularly spinning 7k and have good luck with them. I would be interested if omeone can point me to a forged set for under my $250 budget though cause I havnt found any.

 

[Michael Yount]

Since they did something to your block that you didn't ask for, have you approached them about helping you replace the pistons?

 

[Rick 91GT]

I'd stick with a conventional ring, the gapless are not worth it for you.

Look into a Summit rebuild kit, the prices are great and they come with almost everything you need to put a bottom end together, available with both Forged or Hyper pistons. I've done both for friends and they worked out just fine.

Pressing the old pins off and installing new ones will run around $50, I'd get ARP rod bolts (the rod bolts are the weak link in the stock bottom end) the bolts are $44 and resizing and installing runs around $45-55.

 

[stangboy]

I'd stick with a conventional ring, the gapless are not worth it for you.

Look into a Summit rebuild kit, the prices are great and they come with almost everything you need to put a bottom end together, available with both Forged or Hyper pistons. I've done both for friends and they worked out just fine.

Pressing the old pins off and installing new ones will run around $50, I'd get ARP rod bolts (the rod bolts are the weak link in the stock bottom end) the bolts are $44 and resizing and installing runs around $45-55.

Yeah, what he said. Thats what I did. The summit rebuild kit came with pistons, rings, bearings gaskets, freeze plugs, etc. All I had do was have the old pistons taken off the rods and had the new ones put on. And yes, get ARP rod bolts, its worth the money. I replaced most of my bolts whit ARP bolts. I replaced the main bolts with ARP main studs, I replaced the rod bolts with ARPs and head bolts too. As for the rebuild kit, mine came with the forged SpeedPro pistons and the kit costed me like $469 I think. Its worth it.

 

[mattsstang87]

Get a long-rod kit. My mustang had a long (Crower) rod piston (Ross ultra-lite) combo, and it is fantastic! Revs like hell!!!!

 

[MrKwik]

Since they did something to your block that you didn't ask for, have you approached them about helping you replace the pistons?

He ended up not charging for the block work to make it right but I have to buy the pistons.

 

[TC93]

The Summit kit is a decent kit for the money, like mentioned above.. I built a couple motors for people, using their kits. One is the hyper and one with the Forged. Basically the same kit besides the pistons. The hyper kit is about $200 cheaper than the forged kit. Also used the keith black before in a buddies car and they are decent for the money. Either way you go won't be bad for what you want to do. I say get the Summitkit with the hypers.

 

[87'GTstang]

He ended up not charging for the block work to make it right but I have to buy the pistons.

That is bull**** because that outs you in a predicament where you wouldn't have had to be in the first place if they hadn't screwed up.

Another note on the Ross pistons, hell yeah they are nice. Very very light piston, strong, durable, and well-balanced. Another nice piston I think are the Mahle - you can even get them press-fitted with their forged rods from the factory as well

Your sumitt kit is about the best, all-around kit. I think for like $900 you can get it all to practically have all band-new internals.