Nichelson_Performance

i was searching the web on information on these pistons and came across this and was wondering, did i install my pistons wrong?

http://vitarapistons.com/vitara-pist...allation-info/

is this the correct way to install these pistons?

FRANKBUILT

yes thats the correct way arrows pointing to the flywheel. I have seen motors ran both ways though.

Nichelson_Performance

does it make a big difference performance wise and for reliability? the reason i'm asking is because over the past few months the piston slap in my engine has gotten noticeably louder, its not extremely bad, but you can tell by the sound and the way i understood the installation procedure, if i would have put my pistons in the opposite way, the slap wouldn't be as bad.

914Racer

Yes and no. There are performance benefits to putting the piston in backwards. For years Stock class racers have done that. It will gain you a slight amount of dwell at the top of the stroke. It will have the effect of putting in a slightly longer ride.

The down side is the going to be more piston slap. The reason manufactures offset the wristpin is to help with noise.

Nichelson_Performance

so basically i should leave the pistons the way i have them with the arrow pointing toward the crank pulley as a normal piston should point

ok i know it's off topic from the thread title i posted, but has anyone ever busted the ring lands, because my car is smoking bad, i originally thought it was the turbo so i changed it and still no good. when it was only tuned on 16psi it was fine no problems what so ever, now that its on 20psi it seems like everything is going bad

cbustuner

Try a compression and/or leak down test and that will tell you if it's rings or not.

Hybrid96EK

When I put my Vitara build together I put them in with the arrow facing the crank pulley as I thought they should be. I even had the block bored out slightly to be able to dial in the PTW clearance in hopes of reducing the piston slap that seems very common with these pistons. Anyways, mine makes noise probably just as bad as yours does. I've seen some videos on the net of ones that are REAL bad I will say though.. So far though they are holding up just fine. Seems to make good power, traps at 105mph on 12psi.

Boosted_B_Series

Well according to rocket science u put the big valve reliefs were the big valves are..

Just teasing but really its beyond me why anyone would even consider miss matching the reliefs.

Take some intake and exhaust valves and set them down in the reliefs, you'l see.

Its no longer in a suzuki, screw the arrows.

Nichelson_Performance

well compression tested fine, did it with the car at operating temp, fuel relay unhooked, and tb wide open, got 140 +/- 2psi across all cylinders, but is it possible to have a bad 2nd compression ring and still make meet the standards.

looks like i'm going to pull the head off just to take a look which can't hurt since this build is going on 2 years with the stock bore vitaras.