Need some quick info on piston selection
I am looking for a forged piston for a 350 lt1 with short skirts.
I have seen some that have a long skirt on them like the gen I engines ran.
What are you guys running for pistons? I am trying to keep this budget also.
Let me know what you think.
Does TRW make a short skirt forged piston for the LT1 and what is the part number?

 

Longer the rod you put in there the shorter the skirt.

Go to a 6" or 6.125" rod and you automatically have a shorter skirt.

Bret

 

The factory pistons have short skirts,
i thought this was due to decreased rotating mass.
I was looking at some forged pistons and they have a long skirt like the old gen I motors.
I am looking for the proper type forged piston.
let me know what you guys think should be there?

 

Go look through the catalog at www.jepistons.com

 

I bought Mahle. I think they're a good value.

 

Call Probe Industries or go to their site.

 

What bothers me, Mahle engineering was maybe the last piston mfr. to embrace the larger 2nd ring gap technology. FYI, GM has used this rings specing for AT LEAST 10+ years. Those guys don't strike me as being 'cutting edge' technology.

 

I assure you mahle is top notch. Who do you think has been making the pistons for GM and Ford for the last 10+ years...aside from ring gaps I think their pistons are the best availble.

 

What do you guys say about machine tolerances in relation to piston skirt length, and how they affect "piston rock?" I have heard that in instances where a significantly longer rod and subsequently shorter piston skirt is being used, if the piston is forged this can cause problems due to the forged pieces needing looser tolerances. In regards to forged piston skirt length, how short is too short? Is piston rock a big enough issue that it could potentially shorten the lifespan of the piston?

 

Ya need to let the people who build the pistons recommend the kind and type of piston ya should run for your application.
Piston rock on a forged piston is not an issue if fitted correctly.Most Probe pistons are fit at .005.

 

Wiseco also has some nice pistons. The Mahles are nice but the round wire locks they come with need to be deburred or you will have some problems.