LightningTeg

Custom pistons from CP arent too expensive

Turbo-LS

iTrader: (4)

Thats something to think about also.....

TheShodan

iTrader: (14)

If you're going to go custom, you can't beat Diamond pistons. I'd take that over CP any day of the week.

http://www.diamondracing.net/

I'll be picking up a set next tear down end of 2013, and going full 2.0 Litre.

Turbo-LS

iTrader: (4)

Diamonds are great. A guy I know had some custom diamonds made for his NOS camero and they worked very well. Good pricing as well. Another route would be shelf Arias. Great piston from my experience

OneBadTurboCRV

The only way around using aluminum rods and higher compression would be custom pistons. The math isn't too hard being that everything will expand at a predicatble rate. You also could call and ask to see if your manufacture of choice already has a piston design you desire on file. You would be surprised how many times you figure out exactly you want and then they ask things that let you know another team is doing the same thing haha.

On a side note, It's been a while since I have used CP - but they are for sure not my first choice.

Turbo-LS

iTrader: (4)

I was just messing around with the compression calculator on zealautowerks. Looks like a dome piston 11.5:1 will be around 10.8:1 with the added p2h Clearence. Not bad at all

OneBadTurboCRV

Good work, I have been posting on your thread as well as "Muckman"'s... I blended your builds together and was thinking you were going for 13.5:1.... haha! Either way, just like his build, I like the way this one is going. You crazy kids sure are dedicated! For the money invested you could easily be in the 8-9 second range with a V8.

Turbo-LS

iTrader: (4)

Yeah this is very true but I'm not a huge fan of v8's for my own personal car. I wouldn't mind an NSX or GSR but don't have those kind of funds

tepid1

Did you have a clutch pedal stop?

I would bet that it had something to do with your pin retaining ring failure.

How do the thrust bearings look? Any scarring?

Turbo-LS

iTrader: (4)

clutch pedal stop on a single disc? Not nessesary in fact it wasnt fully disengaging at higher rpms which was causing slight syncro grinding into the gears.

Thrust bearings have no wear on them at all. I purchased the pistons used and reused the spirolocks which was my bad as your supposed to use new ones every time but they held up for many years of abuse.

HickamHatch

knowing you it will be back to running in no time.

Turbo-LS

iTrader: (4)

Normally yes lol but funds are low right now and want to build a mean short block this time around I think.

Benson or GE sleeves and why.

tepid1

I'm a fan of Benson. GE is good stuff too, but unless you're making over 1000hp I would stay with Benson. I have not had a single issues and I'm over 1k myself on Benson sleeves. Ran this whole season and a few tuning sessions on this motor.

Turbo-LS

iTrader: (4)

I spoke with Dan yesterday. Worked up a pretty sweet deal for everything I want to do. Great guy to talk to.

Thoughts on ARP mains ? he suggested arp mains and he would alignbore/hone this is unfamiliar territory for me and ive read good and bad things about align bore/hone

I think a better question here is whats the hp/tq limitations to oem main bolts

OneBadTurboCRV

What is bad about align honing the mains? Typically this service is done by milling the main caps and re-bore to spec. If the mains are close enough a hone will suffice. People get confused about what happens after the bore is serviced. The center line moves "up". All that is needed is to take a feeler gauge and shave the top of the oil pump dowels to get even clearance all the way around the pump gear and crankshaft. This is simple enough and a common step that is overlooked. When this isn't done, the pump gear gets "loaded" and typically ends up shattering.

I personally would do this step regardless of hone or not. Installing the ARP main studs is almost a "no-brainer" due to blocks needing to be line honed after the sleeving service is done.

The limits of factory bolts? I honestly am not sure as I have seen people still use them even in the upper triple digit horsepower levels. Either way, why cheap out with that much money invested in an engine?

Muckman

iTrader: (2)

If the block was unknown then I'd be all for align hone. But yours has never had any issues with the mains like uneven bearing wear. I'd personally avoid it unless there was reason to do it. Moving the centerline up sucks if you have little p2d height. But obviously if you decide on main studs then you have to align.

I have a 2004 Benson block. He's clearly the best in the biz. I just would prefer a semi closed deck sleeve like GE. Every time I have my block decked my machinist my sleeves wobble enough that it not flush with the deck. It's never created a head gasket issue but it makes me nervous as I bore it out.

Turbo-LS

iTrader: (4)

Well running mains I will need to align bore running stock bolts I won't have to nessesarily align bore. I have time to make inal decisions and want it done correct so debate is good on everyone's views

tepid1

Bensons process does not require a line hone. That's one of the nice perks about his services. His sleeving process just doesn't cut out material like the others do, so it doesn't disrupt the mains. Dan will tell you if it needs to be done.

As for the main bolts, I'm on stock main bolts. Just don't keep reusing the same bolts over and over. I know of a few of my peers making 1200+ and they use stock bolts.

N3va is right, need to check the oil pump, rod clearances if running AL rods in a notched block, and p2h after doing a main hone/alignment.

OneBadTurboCRV

Interesting, I honestly have never used a sleeve that wasn't closed deck. Even back in the "block gaurd days" and other cylinder support systems, the goal was always to convert to closed deck. Either way, maybe I should pay more attention to these 4-bangers? Then again, most of the technology we are talking about (like many things) will soon be a thing of the past.

Turbo-LS

iTrader: (4)

Well I would check all clearances when assembling my motor thats a given just wasnt sure how extensive the oil pump mod would be to have proper alignment. Im not building a 1000+whp setup im trying to Overbuild a very reliable 700whp setup. Id rather overbuild than build a setup that will be at its limitations on the parts.

kbouchard1092

i was always under the impression ARP Mains arent needed until over the 800whp range. Even then there are people who dont use them. I would say it would fall into the Overbuild category at 700whp... Nothing wrong with that tho. Plus, its already going to be at the machine shop for sleeving, so its up to you whether or not you want to spend the extra on a line hone. Not needed but while its there why not? The mains themselves are not expensive. Really comes down to your preference and budget

What sleeves are you going with? i went with a closed deck design with the Darton Mids( w/Phosphate coating and Copper Orings). It was more for installation due to additional machine work required for the MID install.

LightningTeg

Im sure they said that about pushrod V8s too

Turbo-LS

iTrader: (4)

I really haven't made any decisions as of yet. Leaning toward Bensen block but entertaining others. My first sleeved block was Darton's mid. Wasn't don't correctly so sleeves kept sinking. It's not Darton's sleeve problem but bad memories lol.

OneBadTurboCRV

I exclusively use Darton MIDs. Get it done by Darton themselves and never worry about it. The ability to exhange sleeves is priceless. The only true downside is a torque plate is needed to bore them. If you get it done by Darton the price with sleeves, install, ARP main bolts, line bore, O-ring groove, ect should be $2,075 for everything. This doesn't include shipping (at least to them). Either way, as with most forums, may the best "fanboy" win! He who types the most wins the prize.

kbouchard1092

That's a pretty common problem with mid. Most machine shops don't install them properly. I hear a lot of horror stories. I did a lot of research on where to get mine installed that was local. I had them installed at Larrys power in Connecticut. They did great work have had zero issues. They were very familiar with the darton process and had done multiple darton mid installs prior to mine. Larryspower.com