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stock lightning piston limits

6K views 6 replies 2 participants last post by  Micah_14 
#1 ·
Ok, so Im about 75% done with collecting parts for my fully built engine, but what I do need is a substantial chunk of change.

I currently have a spun rod bearing in my truck and decided to refresh the motor and just have fun with it while ill finish my built motor. What I want to know is the limits of the stock lightning pistons.

Basically this is what I am doing, I plan to reuse stock pistons with total seal rings, forged h beam rods, cleavite H rod and main bearings, stock crank, i have new arp side bolts laying around and I'm going to use new ford factory main bolts. ( i have read they are rated to 700). I also plan on running a 2.3 whipple 3.25 upper with 8lb lower. I am running stock fuel set up with walboro 255 pumps. I have arp head studs and I may throw in new springs and stage 3 cams in the stock heads after having them freshened up. I was just wondering what the limits to the stock pistons will be. This is more or a less a refresh to have fun with. Will prob take it out a few times a month to hold me over for another year or so while I finish my good build. I have no idea what till will tune to on the dyno but I would like to get and idea of safety limits.

The reason is I have 90% of what I mentioned above.
 
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#3 ·
The cost of a destroyed piston(s) and the work to go back after doing it once would be more than the cost of a set of forged Pistons. Any thing can happen. I went built and one of my fuel pumps soon went out and put a hole in a brand new Manley forged piston. Had it been a stock rod...I'm sure it would have been much worse had it been stock Pistons. All I have to do is put a new piston and rings.


M. Guillory
 
#4 ·
From my understanding they are an aluminum forged piston made by Mahle. My motor as it sits has 136k miles and a spun rod bearing. My itent is to refresh the block and leave it capable to dip mid 11's. Basically clean the pistons, hone the block and re ring them. I already have manley pistons and rods for my fully built motor an all arp hardware. I just don't see the point in the extra cost of forged pistons for refreshing the block In my truck now.
 
#5 ·
Have you been over to lightningrodder.com? These guys will tell you everything you need to know, if to trust those Pistons or not. I do not think they will hold up very well or too long at 700fwhp. Your tune will have to be flawless and you will have to always pay the utmost attention to your current weather situations, probably always run torco for added protection against detonation, or run a killer chiller, meth or something like that. I think if you are trying just dip into the 11s they should hold up. You can do that with about 550rwhp, slicks, stall and a valve body. But if you plan to go much further than that, like a race tune or anything...I would just go ahead and put the new Pistons in and be done. Check out lightningrodder. I'm there all the time and I'm here hardly ever. They will be able to give you the first hand experience with stock Pistons that I can't.


M. Guillory
 
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