What type of pistons should i get? :)
 

Hi all, I was wondering type of pistons should i go with here on my 1995 mustang gt 302c.i. I am using edelbrock #6029 heads, E303 cam, stock lifters, stock pushrods, bored .030 over block, stock connecting rods and stock rocker arms. I am asking because with the edelbrock heads they have a 2.02 intake valve which requires notched pistons. Oh, i would like to go with roughly 9.5:1 compression ratio pistons.

Thanks for the info, if you have an more to add in info it would be appreciated!

This depends what you want out of your motor. Are you going to run a blower, or nitrous in the future? Is cost a factor? I like Hypers for a street motor. They are cheaper, and run tighter in the bore and can take a small poweradder if wanted.
Nothing but forged for me in a rece motor. They are stronger and you can add a big poweradder with them. The downsides are the cost, they have to run looser in the bore to make up for the expansion rate, some people get piston slap on a cold motor depending on the alloy of the pistons.

Good advice there from Wade.

As for brands, I've got Probe's Sportsman Race Series Pistons in my new 331. They've got the special valve relief for my TFS TW heads - I was really impressed with these pistons.

Other makers are JE, Diamond, Wiesco, etc.

E

i always prefer a forged piston for reliability but if you never plan on using a power adder you can use a hyperutectic piston.

Well, I'm running some Keith Black hypers right now @ 10:1. They are a good piston for street use if you plan on going N/A.

You can run a small shot of the squeeze without problems, however you need to make sure you gap the piston rings correctly. When I built the motor, I didn't ever plan on nitrous or a blower so I gapped them down small for better oil control. Turns out the gap I used is too small for the squeeze (according to my builder, tech articles on the pistons, and Keith Black themselves. I should have gapped 'em bigger to begin with, but hind-sight is 20/20.

Go ahead and spend the extra couple of 10-spots and get some forged pistons.

--nathan

Pistons
 

Hyperutectic are fine if you do not plan on major power adders...otherwise I recommend CP pistons, supposedly a lot of Nascar drivers are using them . My last motor is now running 8.3 CP,s ....recommended by Hamilton Clark Ind. out of Sac. Ca. They build nothing but Mustangs, Cobras, Ford Lightning's and Vipers.
So far have not had one blown motor they have set up..incul. 1200 hp lightning, 823rwhp Viper and one of their most recent ..a

33 rwhp Black Cobra coupe the just turned 10.2 @ 133mph.

Pistons
 

Correction; that is supposed to read 633 rwhp for the Cobra.

Alittle promotion for some damn good mrchanics....

Whoa chico you scared me there for a minute when I read the 33 rwhp!:( Glad you meant 633 !!;) ;) :D

See Ya,
Karen

I run Ross pistons in mine with great success. Great nitrous piston too :)

Thats for the reply guys, i guess i should have made myself more clear with some of the info, it's not really the piston brand name I am worried about but more so I am worring about actual valve clearance, more specifically.. say if I switch to a F303 cam in the future I would like a bit of flexability in that way. Is any notched piston going to do the trick for me or is there certain specs I have to take into consideration?

Also I will be having a 75hp nitrous kit I will be adding. Allthough I would like to, a blower would be nice, but realistically I don't think I ever will add one since there very costly up here in canada.

Thanks again for the info guys, i really appreciate it. :)

no problems whatsoever with clearance if you decide to run a F cam. I know people who have it in a stock headed car and have no clearance problems at all.

As far as brands go I like CP's also!

In fact, heres one of mine!

Andy

So, any notched pistons will work with the larger 2.02 valves? I am asking because edelbrock says you need to run notched pistons with the 2.02 valves.

Thanks

I wouldnt say that any notched piston will work, but I think that most of them would. Just as long as they are notched for the right size valves. Either way, you need to check PV clearance ALWAYS, and the pistons can be notched while they are in the block anyway.

Andy

Pistons
 

Beautiful piston....I'm running 14 lbs boost expecting 100,000 miles ,even raced every weekend..