My truck 8BA is being rebuilt, has hardened seats already (woohoo!) and now I'm having to pick pistons. It's a mild rebuild, mostly back to stock. I'm getting the cam reground, and it's been bored to .030 over. I have absolutely ZERO plans to have it blown. I can either get cast pistons and rings for $290, or Ross forged pistons for $500-$600. I've read conflicting stories about whether or not forged is overkill or even needed. Thoughts or real life experiences appreciated!
Almost every car came with cast pistons from the factory. Some of them ran for 200,000 miles. What would make you think you need forged?
Nitro, nitrous, or severe duty like 14-1 compression or circle track racing would demand forged. Save you $$ for some cool vintage intake or heads. Good Luck
I'm in the same boat. doing a mild flathead rebuild. I went cast. You're in Burbank, I wonder if our flatheads are at the same place, haha.
Forged actually has points of inferiority for engines that are not overstressed and used hard. They require more clearance and their manufacture makes it harder to get the non-round needs right. Pistons need to be made off-round in odd ways to arrive at roundness when hot, due to all the varying thicknesses in different areas and inclusions like pin bosses that expand more than skirts.
Yup. Actually got my Pistons today and dropped them off over there. I got my Pistons from Southside obsolete, for less then you said you can get the cast Pistons, so I might check them out. Maybe they have something for you.
I ended up ordering some Sealed Power pistons from Falcon Global in Memphis and the bearings from C&G in OC. It should all be up here middle of next week I think. I wanted to get hypereurtectic (or however the heck you spell it) but they didn't have any. No worries, I only have a mild cam grind...all stock anyway.
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