• Mustang Forums
  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech

pistons hitting the heads

  • Thread starter Thread starter stevesLX
  • Start date Start date Jan 16, 2007

stevesLX

Member
Nov 12, 2006
373
0
16
cincinnati
Jan 16, 2007
#1
  • Jan 16, 2007
  • #1
I just received a call from the machine shop and they tell me that my pistons are coming up .020 to tall vs. my deck height so they are going to cut down my pistons. They said this will not hurt anything. Is that true that by them knocking.020 off of my pistons wont affect anything?
 
S

seijirou

Founding Member
Aug 15, 2002
2,417
4
48
DFW
Jan 16, 2007
#2
  • Jan 16, 2007
  • #2
What's your combo?
If you're not making gobs of power, using a power adder etc. it should be fine.
 
S

seijirou

Founding Member
Aug 15, 2002
2,417
4
48
DFW
Jan 16, 2007
#3
  • Jan 16, 2007
  • #3
And do you mean your pistons are coming .020 out of the hole?

As in popping up beyond the deck of the motor?
 

dragnazz5.0

My "0" key d0esn't w0rk, s0 I have t0 use the zer0
Nov 19, 2005
815
5
18
mooresville, nc
Jan 16, 2007
#4
  • Jan 16, 2007
  • #4
ive never heard of cutting pistons...just use a thicker gasket if its gonna be n/a

edit: do not let them cut your pistons. it could possibly be very dangerous for your motor
 
S

seijirou

Founding Member
Aug 15, 2002
2,417
4
48
DFW
Jan 16, 2007
#5
  • Jan 16, 2007
  • #5
I've heard of it, and it can be done, but it sounds like you have a stock block with stock guts? IF that's the case, get out now.
 

dragnazz5.0

My "0" key d0esn't w0rk, s0 I have t0 use the zer0
Nov 19, 2005
815
5
18
mooresville, nc
Jan 16, 2007
#6
  • Jan 16, 2007
  • #6
i couldnt imagine cutting the pistons like that. all it would do is make the top ring land smaller and more prone to breaking and it could also cause a thin spot in the piston that could cause problems. stock pistons are not worth cutting and i sure as hell wouldnt cut a brand new set of pistons. if the pistons are in fact coming up .020 thats not a big problem. the only problem you will have is if you are running small chamber heads where the piston will actually contact the head. but if you are running a factory head you shouldnt have a problem. it will raise the compression ratio though. if my math is right that .020 will lower your combustion chamber size by 4 cc's
 

ls1beater4eva

New Member
May 13, 2005
334
0
0
mooresville
Jan 16, 2007
#7
  • Jan 16, 2007
  • #7
well i have heard of fly cutting pistons be for but that just seems like alot to cut off a piston , what kind of machine work did u have done to the block
 

dragnazz5.0

My "0" key d0esn't w0rk, s0 I have t0 use the zer0
Nov 19, 2005
815
5
18
mooresville, nc
Jan 16, 2007
#8
  • Jan 16, 2007
  • #8
ls1beater4eva said:
well i have heard of fly cutting pistons be for but that just seems like alot to cut off a piston , what kind of machine work did u have done to the block
Click to expand...

you find someone to buy my heads yet?

anyways, im assuming they milled the block. but it looks like they milled it a little too much. we need a little more info about the motor. stock pistons? what heads are you using?
 

stevesLX

Member
Nov 12, 2006
373
0
16
cincinnati
Jan 16, 2007
#9
  • Jan 16, 2007
  • #9
cutting pistons

The block is a stock block however a previous owner had milled on it one other time. The pistons are trw forged and the heads are caat iron not sure of the manufacture.
 
S

seijirou

Founding Member
Aug 15, 2002
2,417
4
48
DFW
Jan 16, 2007
#10
  • Jan 16, 2007
  • #10
Okay so it coudl be that your pistons are up too high. was this combo running before or not?
 

stevesLX

Member
Nov 12, 2006
373
0
16
cincinnati
Jan 16, 2007
#11
  • Jan 16, 2007
  • #11
pistons

O.K. just talked to the machine shop again and what they are actually doing is cutting down the deck height. They are 20 out of the hole He also mentioned something about a clean up cut on the mill at 5. He says what they are doing is minute to them they do this all the time to race cars and stuff.
 

Foxfan88

My Grandpa has great wood.
Sep 13, 2004
2,487
4
0
Miami, Ok
Jan 16, 2007
#12
  • Jan 16, 2007
  • #12
your pistons are coming out of the hole and they are cutting the deck?? would that just make the piston stickout more?
 

dragnazz5.0

My "0" key d0esn't w0rk, s0 I have t0 use the zer0
Nov 19, 2005
815
5
18
mooresville, nc
Jan 16, 2007
#13
  • Jan 16, 2007
  • #13
if they are cutting the deck more than it will make the pistons stick out more. depending on how much they are cut you are gonna have to look into milling the intake to fit the heads and possibly getting new pushrods.
 
W

wicked84gt350

New Member
Aug 20, 2006
113
1
0
West palm bech florida
Jan 16, 2007
#14
  • Jan 16, 2007
  • #14
Well .020 is not much and it will only really clean up the top of the pistion its about the thickness of a hair on the back of your neck. And from what you explained they are going to cut the deck .005 to just make sure the the deck is straight and thats why they need to take the .020 off the pistion the .005 will be made up with head gasket thickness. I had my block parrell decked to "0" which means the tops of the pistons are the EXACT same hight as the deck surface the only gap between the head and the pistion is the head gasket. And if your block was milled that much before then you can bet that the lntake was cutt and the pushrods are all ready differenet but you will still need to check the clearences the .005 dont worry about you can make it up in head gasket and the .020 is nothing off the piston
 

retro50

New Member
Jul 15, 2003
191
0
0
Plymouth,MA
Jan 16, 2007
#15
  • Jan 16, 2007
  • #15
If they cut the deck .005 and the pistons .020 then the pistons will protrude out of the deck .005. run a .040 gasket and the quench will be .035. It will run good and there will be less chance for detonation. The ideal quench is anywhere from .035-.045 with steel rods. I'm sure they will still check the piston to valve clearance. I set my own motors up at .000 deck to +.005 out of the hole.
 
S

seijirou

Founding Member
Aug 15, 2002
2,417
4
48
DFW
Jan 17, 2007
#16
  • Jan 17, 2007
  • #16
His block has already been milled. His pistons are .020 out of the hole. They're going to take the .020 off the tops of the pistons to give him a 0 deck.

Atleast that's the claim.
 

Rick 91GT

Mustang Master
Nov 29, 1999
9,692
95
99
PA
Jan 17, 2007
#17
  • Jan 17, 2007
  • #17
Whats the exact deck height, and what is the CH of your piston??? Your using a stock crank and rod I assume?

Cutting the pistons is not a big deal however it is less common with a stock style build up. With a factory 3" stroke, 5.03" rod and a 1.60CH piston and a nominal 8.200" deck you are usually anywhere from .007-.010" in the hole STOCK.

If the pistons are sticking up .020" and they need to cut another .005" off to square it up I would worry about the deck thickness of the stock block personally since they are all over the place. I have never had to cut a stock 302 block that far...

Like mentioned above keeping the quench area in the .035"-.041" range is ideal.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Engine Suggestions on an engine rebuild. Stock cam/GT40Ps or aftermarket on both for a fun weekend driver?
  • MadSquirrelTech
  • Apr 28, 2026
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
  • 2
Replies
23
Views
649
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech May 7, 2026
MadSquirrelTech
Motor given to me and I’d like to rebuild it what do I need to do
  • Creomod
  • Dec 14, 2024
  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
Replies
6
Views
354
1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk- Dec 16, 2024
AeroCoupe
6
Hey all,I’m putting together a 302 for my 1968 Mustang and wanted to post the combo + some questions to make sure I’m not missing crucial
  • 68_Disgustang
  • Feb 22, 2026
  • 1965 - 1973 Classic Mustangs -General/Talk-
Replies
4
Views
745
1965 - 1973 Classic Mustangs -General/Talk- Jun 20, 2026
gray owl
G
S
Requesting Guidance for 306 motor swap - Fuel? - SD? MAF?
  • So_Flo
  • Jul 26, 2025
  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
  • 2
Replies
32
Views
2K
1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk- Jan 4, 2026
Mcmahst
Progress Thread Progress Thread- From6to8's 1994 Cobra Supercharger install
  • from6to8
  • Sep 25, 2025
  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
  • 20 21 22
Replies
420
Views
9K
1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk- May 6, 2026
from6to8
Share:
Bluesky Email Share Link
  • Mustang Forums
  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
Menu
Log in

Register

  • Forums
  • What's new
  • Media
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Sponsor
X

Privacy & Transparency

We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:

  • Personalized ads and content
  • Content measurement and audience insights

Do you accept cookies and these technologies?

X

Privacy & Transparency

We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:

  • Personalized ads and content
  • Content measurement and audience insights

Do you accept cookies and these technologies?