re-use diamond pistons or go to something different?

[bison]

Looks like #1 or #6 was taking a beating. post pics of the rod bearings from them. Lots of metal transfer on the registers of the #2 and #3 mains also.

 

[Grumpy]

IMO they are a poor design. If they fail they all seem to fail in the thin spot of the inverted dish. If it not broke I wouldnt fix it. But if I had the engine apart like this fella I certainly wouldn't reuse them. I built 4 TSM engines about 5 Years ago using those pistons. Every engine had piston failures exactly the same. All 4 were TSM power plants and all 4 were 9 second rides.

Well I just looked up the date on my Diamond pistons (April 2004) that we have been beating to death with pump gas and Alky. We have a LOT of street miles on the motor also. When I got this "used" motor we took off the headgaskets to go with cometics. My Buddy has a Chebby that had Diamond pistons. He burnt threw in the same spot you are referring to. I looked at ours an they "looked" fine. I figure if they break thats life in the big city. One of these days I want to take the motor apart to check everything out before I use it in another car. Ill post back in another thread when I do.
.. Do ya think maybe they had "problems" in a certain time frame ???? Hmmm.. just thinking TSM motors.. maybe your putting out way more power than most of us?

 

[quickt]

Well I just looked up the date on my Diamond pistons (April 2004) that we have been beating to death with pump gas and Alky. We have a LOT of street miles on the motor also. When I got this "used" motor we took off the headgaskets to go with cometics. My Buddy has a Chebby that had Diamond pistons. He burnt threw in the same spot you are referring to. I looked at ours an they "looked" fine. I figure if they break thats life in the big city. One of these days I want to take the motor apart to check everything out before I use it in another car. Ill post back in another thread when I do.
.. Do ya think maybe they had "problems" in a certain time frame ???? Hmmm.. just thinking TSM motors.. maybe your putting out way more power than most of us?

Who knows. The stuff was run hard.

 

[ek02]

Looks like #1 or #6 was taking a beating. post pics of the rod bearings from them. Lots of metal transfer on the registers of the #2 and #3 mains also.

How does the metal transfer on the registers from cap walk? I noticed the metal transfer on a 4.1 N/A I took from a Cadillac Biarritz. It was never boosted, but may have suffered from spark knock? The transferred metal from the block was firmly attached to the caps, like it was part of the casting process. Can anyone explain how this happens?

 

[kidglok]

update

forged crank is in, rings need to be file fitted before dropping the pistons in then it all goes back together

 

[Mr.Spool]

i have diamonds in my motor,runs great.been mid 10's on a mild tune.

 

[kidglok]

i have diamonds in my motor,runs great.been mid 10's on a mild tune.

i wound up going with JE after numerous discussions

 

[TURBOPOWERED68]

how fast you looking to go?

 

[Ttype6]

Religious beliefs can get in the way of progress at times.

Kevin.

The truth never does.

 

[kidglok]

how fast you looking to go?

dave, you know thats a loaded question lol

 

[TURBOPOWERED68]

dave, you know thats a loaded question lol

reaching

looking good dude
it was badass before
good luck with the build and keep the pictures coming

 

[kidglok]

reaching

looking good dude
it was badass before
good luck with the build and keep the pictures coming

thanks dave, Im also waiting on Husek to finish up the trans...were waiting on lonnie for the solenoid to set up his t-brake pro....also calibrated the governor and valvebody

 

[Mr.Spool]

as long you feel comfortable,i don't think you can go wrong with either of your choices.

 

[Chuck Leeper]

Looks like #1 or #6 was taking a beating. post pics of the rod bearings from them. Lots of metal transfer on the registers of the #2 and #3 mains also.

That's what I was looking at, too.

 

[DSEROVY]

How does the metal transfer on the registers from cap walk? I noticed the metal transfer on a 4.1 N/A I took from a Cadillac Biarritz. It was never boosted, but may have suffered from spark knock? The transferred metal from the block was firmly attached to the caps, like it was part of the casting process. Can anyone explain how this happens?

Transfer aka "cap walk" is when the caps actually move around in the register, basically eating at both surfaces. Figure you have somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 ftlbs of torque on the main bolts/studs - if you have enough force to overcome that, bad things happen. You will probably see the wear pattern on the cap and a mirror image on the register. Detonation = bad.

At least that's my take on it!

 

[turbofabricator]

Basically high frequency deal causes the cap/block fretting. Looks like you also need an undersized timing chain due to the line bore when installing the steel caps. We have run 10.0 @ 136+ on Diamond pistons. I've cracked JE pistons, too. Any brand piston will die a miserable death with a bad tune up. (except one made out of unobtainium..........They are indestructable and warranteed for life.)