...and newer is not always better. There is more R&D on those stock parts than anything you will ever come across that is newer. Ill take a known good stock short block over a questionable rebuild any day for a mildly modded car. I know low 10's are no problem for a while and 11's or slower it would probably last longer than the owner. The stock piston design is superior to almost anything out there except an expensive forging believe it or not. Problem is they are likely high mileage or have been run in the grenade mode for a long time. Ive never burned one. Only split one when running it over 600hp for over 2 years straight. Hypers are great for mild engines that have slower than 11 sec e.t. goals. You can run them really tight and get a really good ring seal and they will take a lot of power but dont even rattle them for an instant if you're making any power. They typically hold more heat in the combusiton chamber too so they need a little more octane. The supercharged 3800 series II shortblock has been in the mid 9's in a FWD platform with its stock hyper pistons. It can be done but most will fail. They think its ok to have a little detonation. Lol
Engine Rebuild - Forged Piston and Stock Cam recommendations?
- Thread starter jawort0
- Start date
...and newer is not always better. There is more R&D on those stock parts than anything you will ever come across that is newer. Ill take a known good stock short block over a questionable rebuild any day for a mildly modded car. I know low 10's are no problem for a while and 11's or slower it would probably last longer than the owner. The stock piston design is superior to almost anything out there except an expensive forging believe it or not. Problem is they are likely high mileage or have been run in the grenade mode for a long time. Ive never burned one. Only split one when running it over 600hp for over 2 years straight. Hypers are great for mild engines that have slower than 11 sec e.t. goals. You can run them really tight and get a really good ring seal and they will take a lot of power but dont even rattle them for an instant if you're making any power. They typically hold more heat in the combusiton chamber too so they need a little more octane. The supercharged 3800 series II shortblock has been in the mid 9's in a FWD platform with its stock hyper pistons. It can be done but most will fail. They think its ok to have a little detonation. Lol
They're NOS James.:biggrin: Had them now for a few years and I think I've got $300 in both together.
:biggrin:As far as the cam here's a good link to an evilbay auction so you can get it even cheaper.:biggrin:
Buick 231 3.8 3.8L Torque Cam Kit Lifters 1977-1987 | eBay
turbofabricator
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2004
Listen to Bison.
The stock pistons are VERY hard to beat for a 11.0 car or slower. The ONLY draw back to the stock cast pistons is that they are HEAVY. They have metal plates cast into the skirt/pin boss, and have a non ferrous steel top ring land cast into them. The stock ring land will take ALOT more abuse than a race forged piston. Buick did ALOT of R&D on the pistons. LEAVE THE STOCK BOTTOM END ALONE!!! No reason to EVER rebuild a stock short block (healthy one that is) for a car running 11.0 or slower. TRW/Sealed power pistons are stock replacement, thus they are VERY heavy to keep balancing in line. The pistons are light, but the pins are heavy. IF you MUST replace the pistons, I would go with JE, Probe, Diamond, ect. instead of the Sealed power/TRW. Better design piston.
I am building just such an engine right now. New rings, new bearings and good head work/manifold work, roller cam, and it'll run HARD depending on turbo choice. Tune up is 90% of power output. Pistons will have ZERO effect on power output (compression being equal) A StageII block, Billet crank, Cunningham rods, JE pistons, all being equal in compression will make at MOST a 5% power gain over a STOCK healthy short block. MAYBE. The factory short block is a GREAT piece. We've blown up stock engines and COMPLETE forged short blocks alike. Spend your money on heads, roller cam, turbo, and good tuning and it'll go ALOT further than even a $8,500 short block.
But then again.........what do I know? I'm "new"
The stock pistons are VERY hard to beat for a 11.0 car or slower. The ONLY draw back to the stock cast pistons is that they are HEAVY. They have metal plates cast into the skirt/pin boss, and have a non ferrous steel top ring land cast into them. The stock ring land will take ALOT more abuse than a race forged piston. Buick did ALOT of R&D on the pistons. LEAVE THE STOCK BOTTOM END ALONE!!! No reason to EVER rebuild a stock short block (healthy one that is) for a car running 11.0 or slower. TRW/Sealed power pistons are stock replacement, thus they are VERY heavy to keep balancing in line. The pistons are light, but the pins are heavy. IF you MUST replace the pistons, I would go with JE, Probe, Diamond, ect. instead of the Sealed power/TRW. Better design piston.
I am building just such an engine right now. New rings, new bearings and good head work/manifold work, roller cam, and it'll run HARD depending on turbo choice. Tune up is 90% of power output. Pistons will have ZERO effect on power output (compression being equal) A StageII block, Billet crank, Cunningham rods, JE pistons, all being equal in compression will make at MOST a 5% power gain over a STOCK healthy short block. MAYBE. The factory short block is a GREAT piece. We've blown up stock engines and COMPLETE forged short blocks alike. Spend your money on heads, roller cam, turbo, and good tuning and it'll go ALOT further than even a $8,500 short block.
But then again.........what do I know? I'm "new"
