Pistons

[Don Dulmage <big-d@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

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**** Bounces like rubber! Shatters like ceramic! ****
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First off you will never likely break a stock so called cast piston, 
The trouble is that all cast replacement pistons for BB mopar are not the same compression ratio as the originals. They are usually around 9 to 1 compression so they need only one piston for 4 bbl or 2 bbl engines. It is pretty common among all the manufactures i know of(even mommy Mopar). Even the hypereutictic do not take full advantage of the design. If you want real replacements the only ones that actually match the original specs are the TRW (Now Federal Mogul ) Forged replacements.  That is why we use them in our Old reliable combos. They have the right compression distance and are identical to the Original pistons except they are forged. (They are also indestructable and i mean it!) People often say they are heavy but they are the same or similar to stock weights. NHRA allows them as legal stock replacements. They are not expensive , I think around $347 US from Summit etc.
They have been recently upgraded and now have coated skirts and a bit better pin design then before. They also make pistons in this series that duplicate the 6 pack pistons(L2355F), The fourbarrel magnum 440 pistons and the 383 4 bbl pistons. 
I like them because they go fast cost little and don't give trouble ever. Seemed like the right idea to me and I continue to use them.  They also have enough strength and meat for cutting valve reliefs and all other sorts of mods. 
$ for$ they are real hard to beat. 
Hypereutictics are the current rage for sure and they have thier place but none I have found so far were quite right for our projects. We would have to do a lot of block machining and fiddling to get the decks where we want them. It may not seem important to some but this is the stuff that makes an ordinary engine EXTRAordinary so we spend a lot of time on it.
I have heard a thousand reasons why the other are better but now i just look the guy in the eye and say "So , beat me!" That usually ends the conversation. 
For the 400 the hypereuticics are the only Hi comp available other than Custom Ross , JE , Cp etc so they would be a good choice and i have a set for that here. (KB240) Otherwise I stick with the stuff that really works. In my 426 I have JE Sportsman (from Mazzolini ) and they are excellant but not cheap. 
Each type has its own place i guess. We have as i previously hinted used Cast  factory pistons in severe abuse engines with no problems. Usually proto type setup to investigate a combo (Like the 460 econo big block, the 400 cheapie, The 6 Cyl brand X for the Mckewon bros nostalgic stock car (35 chev  NYS VSA) 
Some of those motors ran for years as they worked so well and never broke that the owner never did get his good motor in the car. Not everything you read about pistons is totally true. A lot of mags are pumping parts sales maybe just a bit more than is totally square. 
I built one 6 pack 440 with stock pistons back in 1976 and believe it or not it is still running today some 28 years later. it is in a 68 Dodge Super Bee race car. 
I checked it out about 10 years ago for the guy so we freshened it but it really wasn't bad. . I did a block cleaning and new rings and bearings. Still runs good
This was Stock 6 pack factory cast pistons , not forged, not hyper , 
Anyway it is food for thought . We forget the factory used to give a 50,000 mile warranty on these mid 60s and 70s engines knowing full well we were going to make them boogie. 
Don

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

===========================================================
**** Bounces like rubber! Shatters like ceramic! ****
Discover Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty in grown up 
handfuls. It's the creativity unleashing, mood enhancing 
desk toy!
caab4CEb7yoMzf/ Crazy Aaron Enterprises
===========================================================

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