choosing pistons

[horsepower addiction]

What is the intended application? Power range etc? Off the shelf pistons are just that, a compromise. They may be fine for many applications but people tend to assume it works across the board. It does not, even in an N/A application. The proper way to purchase a piston is to order it for the finished bore, not try to make the bore match a piston. But again, this depends on

What is the intended application? Power range etc? Off the shelf pistons are just that, a compromise. They may be fine for many applications but people tend to assume it works across the board. It does not, even in an N/A application. The proper way to purchase a piston is to order it for the finished bore, not try to make the bore match a piston. But again, this depends on the intended power levels and rpm.

This is the old way. The problem with this approach is that a lot of cylinders are not able to be honed and almost never match each other. predator Bores can range from 3.697 to 3.704 So when your pistons are ordered to match a particular cylinder bore you are stuck with what you get. If you bore a cylinder then finish hone it to match the piston you have much more control of the tolerances

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[horsepower addiction]

Have you tried ceratec? My Aluminator does have a 1k RPM rattle and 3k rpm rattle, but my stock gen 3 had the worst idle tapping ive ever heard and 2k rattle but ceratec fixed the idle tapping noise. Overall the gen 3 aluminator is quieter and also apparently has much less blow by and no oil consumption. Heres what my OEM gen 3 shortblock sounded like at idle without ceratec :

i feel like if i buy a new $20,000-$30,000 engine that it shouldn’t be knocking or slapping and should not require a oil additive just so i’m not embarrassed for someone to pull up next to me at a stoplight. You can explain to them all day long. Why it sounds that way but they’re still going to look at you like somethings wrong, because there is.

 

[Optimum Performance]

This is the old way. The problem with this approach is that a lot of cylinders are not able to be honed and almost never match each other. predator Bores can range from 3.697 to 3.704 So when your pistons are ordered to match a particular cylinder bore you are stuck with what you get. If you bore a cylinder then finish hone it to match the piston you have much more control of the tolerances

What?

 

[Andy13186]

i feel like if i buy a new $20,000-$30,000 engine that it shouldn’t be knocking or slapping and should not require a oil additive just so i’m not embarrassed for someone to pull up next to me at a stoplight. You can explain to them all day long. Why it sounds that way but they’re still going to look at you like somethings wrong, because there is.

Thats what I thought too, but since it was so common, and ceratec fixed it, and Ford wouldnt do anything about it, I just sent it for 60k miles until it did eventually fail. (2 broken piston skirts, 8 rocker arm retaining clips missing and a broken cam cap.) Lasted 40k miles at 450 rwhp then 20k miles at 800 rwhp before it blew. I think I just revved it too high too many times and hit the limiter at 8500 too many times.

 

[Cory S]

Remember…. If they are a little too loose, only you know. If they are too tight, EVERYONE will know.

 

[horsepower addiction]

What?

when possible it is better to hone the cylinder to fit the piston

 

[furdfan2018]

when possible it is better to hone the cylinder to fit the piston

Does not apply to the Gen 3, unless it's modded with sleeves.

 

[furdfan2018]

This is the old way. The problem with this approach is that a lot of cylinders are not able to be honed and almost never match each other. predator Bores can range from 3.697 to 3.704 So when your pistons are ordered to match a particular cylinder bore you are stuck with what you get. If you bore a cylinder then finish hone it to match the piston you have much more control of the tolerances

100%

 

[horsepower addiction]

Does not apply to the Gen 3, unless it's modded with sleeves.

Did you notice where I said “when possible”
this is one of the biggest problems with the gen3 and 5.2 blocks. they never have cylinders that all match. you can’t just hone to match so getting the ptw clearance that you want can be a challenge

 

[furdfan2018]

Yep, fair enough

 

[horsepower addiction]

Yep, fair enough

so how do we get the ptw clearance that we are after?

 

[furdfan2018]

so how do we get the ptw clearance that we are after?

On what liner type?

 

[horsepower addiction]

On what liner type?

gen3 or 5.2

 

[furdfan2018]

Youre stuck with whats available if you don't plan to sleeve.

Measure each bore, measure each piston and match as best as you can 1-8 depending on what comes out of the package.

Or I suppose you could order custom pistons, not my cup of tea however.

 

[K4fxd]

so how do we get the ptw clearance that we are after?

An old school way is to knurl the loose pistons.

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