Need some input for J&E Pistons. What do you guys want to see from them...

[phillyturbosix]

As I contact vendors over the year for the goodie bag items for the BPG event and the MAGNA car show, from time to time they ask me to get them some feedback in the market the make products for. I was chatting with the JE Piston rep and he wanted me to get him some input. So here is your chance to get your voice heard at JE Pistons. Post away what you guys think and I'll forward them your requests!

What do you think about our current product offering for the turbo V6 engines? Should we add more combinations that are popular (different rod/stroke combinations, different compression ratios, etc...) or is the current offering of a basic, stock spec racing piston serve what most people need? Give me your thoughts and we'll adjust as needed to best serve the market.

 

[bison]

I'd like to see a .010 and .015 over replacement piston. Blocks are drying up and many times the bore is only tapered a few thousandths and would easily clean up. I'd also like to see a piston that will net 9:1CR with a .060 gasket. Both of these requests would easily be doable with the current forging. Just more material removed off the skirts and less material machined off the dish. The compression height could stand to be a little taller. I like .010 in the hole to have efficiency and leave room for several deck cuts if needed. If adjusting the compression height could become a reality I can get info on the finished deck height on some production block engines after the factory deck has been cleaned with a small cut. I'll get a bunch of deck heights and take the average height after one clean up cut to see where they are. I've used several sets of JE pistons over the last 15 years and they worked out really well.

 

[eric_1984ttype]

It would be nice to have a few options in the dish cc. Would help with milled or tta heads and different head gaskets etc.

 

[Nick Micale]

The current situation is that JE, like Ross, CP, Diamond, will custom make any pistons to your specs and can deliver in 4-6 weeks.

In our case, we have been a customer of CP since they started, and Ross for many years, and they stock a few sizes we usually order, but will make whatever we want, and I have special ordered a few JE custom sets too.

Not to be negative, but it does not seem likely that JE will stock lots of "special order" pistons for the small turbo Buick market.

The other issue with odd-ball or unusual bore sizes is that the proper ring package may not be available, or cost as much as the pistons if special ordered?

 

[charlief1]

I'd like to see them step up and make a 4.1 (.010 .020, .030) forged piston that will give a 9:1 compression ratio as well as one for a 3.8 block. Make sure it will clear a .550 lift with a stong piston top and they should be good to go.

 

[ek02]

JE only has a 1/16" file fit ring package for a 4.1 with a standard bore, or .030 over. They could make me .020 pistons, but could not supply rings. They gave me file fits for a 4" bore to fit to a 3.995 bore, which will work fine. The piston to valve clearance on a 9.5-1 spherical dish piston with valve reliefs, and a .526 lift cam, was .090 with the heads cut .030 and .040 head gaskets. With Champion aluminum heads, the valves are closer to the center of the cylinder and the dish, and the clearance was .250. That was all with the cam straight up.

 

[phillyturbosix]

Passing it all along! Thanks for the input keep it coming! Seems they are really aggressive to keeping up with our needs. I mean hell I'm sure they are the biggest seller the way these engine grenade!

 

[Jerryl]

I don't know anything about piston design, but agree with Bison. A smaller overbore would be nice!
I personally would also love to see some added "Quench" . . . . I realize the Diamonds already have this, but it would be nice to see some design on JE's to increase burn efficiency . . . . . .

 

[turbofabricator]

Quench is a controversial in a turbo application. I'll leave it at that.
I would like to see an additional .0005" pin clearance on thier shelf stock pistons. Pin to bore clearance is a bit too tight for high boost. I would also like them to reduce the dish diameter to reduce the cracking of the top of the pistons. It is so close to the top ring land that they do crack often. I agree that they will machine what ever size shape you can possibly want. I just ordered two sets for odd ball StageI and StageII engines. One 4.060" and one 4.030" Just down load thier oredr form and fill it out in detail. A few weeks later you'll have exactly what you want.

 

[Jerryl]

Quench is a controversial in a turbo application. I'll leave it at that . . . . .

Always the voice of reason . . . Looks like I have some reading to do.
Would be interesting to see what JE thinks on this controversy . . . .

 

[turbofabricator]

Speedtalk has a thread on the subject. Under boost we have WAY more than enough turbulance in the combustion chamber to keep the fuel from forming droplets. At cruise and part throttle it would help. But who ever is at part throttle?

 

[phillyturbosix]

Good input. They are liking the ideas. I keep passing it all along!

 

[BGNeXtreem]

X2 on bisons

 

[phillyturbosix]

Well you guys stirred the pot and perked the interest at JE! I received a new e-mail from one of their engineers. Seems they are very aggressive with new product for the turbo Buick community I like the input so far you guys have been posting! The reason I agreed to help post this around the turbo Buick forums was on the terms that they would actually listen and take care of my Buick brothers. So below is what they asked. Post away and I'll keep forwarding your information to them. I'm not that great when it comes to the specs on this stuff and I know a lot of you guys who work on them all the time might know this stuff very well so I'll leave this kinda thing up to you guys. So keep up the good input and who knows maybe we'll see some great stuff come out of JE soon! So while we have an ear listening to us lets give them some good input!

From JE....

We would like to come out with an entire line that is the best. I definitely agree with you on the quench pads added to your parts. Most of our sport compact engines feature this and we have had some great results with it over they years.

Some of the information we have in our system is outdated so I would like to reach out to you to see if we can get some more accurate info.

I am showing a block height of 9.510 in our catalog, and an original block height of 9.535". From what I have been reading is that there are several blocks people use. Also the heads we list is a 48cc chamber, which I think is only for the OEM iron head.

The more information you can provide the better. Essentially I am looking for all the combinations people would be looking for. I.E block heights, available heads and chamber sizes, head gasket thicknesses, rod length.

 

[SHADOWII]

Well you guys stirred the pot and perked the interest at JE! I received a new e-mail from one of their engineers. Seems they are very aggressive with new product for the turbo Buick community I like the input so far you guys have been posting! The reason I agreed to help post this around the turbo Buick forums was on the terms that they would actually listen and take care of my Buick brothers. So below is what they asked. Post away and I'll keep forwarding your information to them. I'm not that great when it comes to the specs on this stuff and I know a lot of you guys who work on them all the time might know this stuff very well so I'll leave this kinda thing up to you guys. So keep up the good input and who knows maybe we'll see some great stuff come out of JE soon! So while we have an ear listening to us lets give them some good input!

From JE....

We would like to come out with an entire line that is the best. I definitely agree with you on the quench pads added to your parts. Most of our sport compact engines feature this and we have had some great results with it over they years.

Some of the information we have in our system is outdated so I would like to reach out to you to see if we can get some more accurate info.

I am showing a block height of 9.510 in our catalog, and an original block height of 9.535". From what I have been reading is that there are several blocks people use. Also the heads we list is a 48cc chamber, which I think is only for the OEM iron head.

The more information you can provide the better. Essentially I am looking for all the combinations people would be looking for. I.E block heights, available heads and chamber sizes, head gasket thicknesses, rod length.

It seems to me that the buick world would benefit greatly, not only in the near future, but in the distant future as our tired blocks get retired for a lack of parts,i.e. piston/ring options. As previously stated by the above posters. This is the time, now that we have an ear and a wilingness to look into our communities needs in the light of the pistons we would need to add years to the life of our blocks. The above quoted request can be readily answered by our engine builders, who are more familiar w/the differant combo's needed by the JE engineers to better understand our needs and to produce the most beneficial products w/mutual satisfaction. ek02, Ken B, Nick M., etc. have posted some good points and this could be the start of a "new standard" of "off the shelf pistons". ie, 9.0/9.5 c/r instead of the 8.0 like I have in my stroker motor. Not to mention fixing the ring land, etc. problems that have arised due to increased hp levels. What are the average head CC's of the differant brands, ported and non ported, 48, Mine are 54!?
This is an opportunity that does not come often. So think about getting this info to JE, possibly creating the new standard and maybe it will be more affordable to rebuild some of the old boat anchors as well as our present ones. Remember, many of our engines go into oblivion due to the high cost of rebuilding, which the piston is a prime suspect @$600.00+.

 

[novaderrik]

reverse dome pistons for both the 3.8 and 4.1, in 9:1 cr for pump gas and 10:1 cr for E85 and what not. i don't know how necessary it would be, but different shapes to mirror both the regular old Buick chambers and the later fwd/TTA chambers.

 

[GBGN1]

Im with them more piston options- 4.1 9-1 stock stoke and stroker. Off the self stroker 9-1 3.8 pistons 10 over.