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replacement pistons

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anthony7777

Yoda
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gents, it seems a new set of pistons is required in my engine rebuild, ill have to go 30thou. over size,has anyone used a set from moss? yes-no, thanks. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif
 
Mine came from Moss. But I've just got it running, so no real experience. Generally, though, it's always a question of your intended use. Racing? Might want to consider something else. Puttering about on weekends? Moss probably just fine.
 
No Thanks! Want a piston get "Mahle"--Keoke- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/hammer.gif
 
It just so happens I am in the market for pistons myself. I plan on going with forged JE, had forgotten about Mahle. The Mahle's are not in their online catalog. How do you get them? modify Volvo's?
 
Anthony, I resleeved my block and went back to standard size. Don't really know if it's better but just what I opted to do. Bob
 
For all the Healey/MG engines I built (easily over 100) I always used AE or Peter Hepworth (Hepolite) pistons.

Always supplied with rings, gudgeon pins and circlips, and we usually ordered the +.030" size too.

Forged pistons require looser clearances than cast, because of different expansion rates. That's why engines with forged pistons are so noisy when they start up (piston slap). Unless you're going to go all-out racing, I'd stick with cast pistons.

For a modern touch, about ten plus (10+) years ago, I started using Polymer coatings. Nowadays, I think you can get pistons off the shelf with skirts coated with a dry-film lubricant and ceramic thermal barrier coated tops. When you have the opportunity to tear down an engine assembled with these materials, the wear can hardly be seen/measured.
 
Nothing wrong with that, just more expensive.

Usually reserved for the fourth (4th) rebuild /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif
 
Well, in the past hour, I read an article about pistons (& rings) from the February 2007 issue of Engine Rebuilder.

Seems that a lot has changed in the area of forged pistons; depending on the alloying (silicon content can vary from nearly zero to 11.5%), clearances can be as low as those for cast pistons.

Hypereutectic pistons are probably the best choice for the average Healey owner.

In the list of perhaps sixty (60) piston (& ring) suppliers, AE & Hepolite are nowhere to be seen. Beck/Arnley, Silvolite (and Mahle) can probably be relied upon to furnish pistons for the Big Healey.

Whatever the piston choice, I have always had xlnt results using Total Seal (slant gap) gapless second (2nd) rings. British engines with less than a 1% leakdown are a joy to behold, and not bad to drive behind either.
 
gents,i appreciate all your help! im still undecided what im going to use as far as pistons, i have a line on a new .030 over set about $900.00, last night i spoke to a rep. at moss i wanted to know if what they sold was a product of "county" he told me their pistons are made by xrn engineering? and that out of 200 sets sold they had no complaints/problems just one return from someone that decided he didnt need them for his rebuild, i dont intend to race this car so all the fancy custom bits arent needed, my cam is in good shape as is the crank, i just dont want to have problems "down the road" and find out later that these pistons are being produced by mere 12 year old girls endlessly toiling underground in a cold,dark,damp,dimly lit cellar in a country whos name is a collection of vowels and consonants that render it unpronounceable hence the lack of quality control, by the way the wonderful "new disintegrating" oil pump that precipitated my rebuild was from "county" - "caviar empty" /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif
 
/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/savewave.gif 7777;

Just to kinny cheer you up a bit. The largest portion of after market pistons are being made in: China, Japan and Taiwan.

XRN Engineering; "Have unrivalled expertise in sourcing specialist products from around the world" /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cheers.gif---Keoke

P.S. County is owned by XRN engineering!--- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/yesnod.gif
 
anthony7777 said:
... toiling underground in a cold,dark,damp,dimly lit cellar in a country whos name is a collection of vowels and consonants that render it unpronounceable hence the lack of quality control, by the way the wonderful "new disintegrating" oil pump that precipitated my rebuild was from "county" - "caviar empty" /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif
Click to expand...
Anthony, ... I have to ask. What is " county caviar empty " ?
 
Personally I do not have any experience with their product Dave. I have seen them being used in other applications but not in the Healey engine. They do rely heavily on high quality Japanese steel rings in their kits. However, I think when you pick a good independent source that isn't just a world parts distributor with a good PR pitch one will do OK.---Keoke
 
The only down side is that they only come in metric sizes. Thus you come up with some slightly odd over bore dimensions. Mine came with a very specific final bore diameter & they would not give me a skirt clearance. Their specified bore diameter gave .0043" skirt clearance which seems to be working well. Their pistons were all within .0001" of the same diameter, & within .02 grams of the same weight.
D
 
---- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/thumbsup.gif-----Keoke
 
"County Caviar Empty"= Let the Buyer Beware----Keoke- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/banana.gif
 
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