Cracked Piston solutions?

TheBac

Why do I keep doing this?
Staff member
Apr 19, 2008
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Mid Michigan
Just for info from when I rebuilt my engine 7 years ago:

Figured Id weigh the pistons and rods in advance of having the rotating assembly balanced, so I got out the trusty digital mailing scale and this is what I found:

Pistons (with pins, w/o rings):
1) 1273 grams
2) 1274
3) 1274
4) 1274
5) 1273
6) 1274
7) 1273
8) 1274

This was after Merchant cut the lips, but the pistons where all cut the same, so the weight savings were the same.

But.....

LBZ rods (w/caps & bolts, w/o bearings)
1) 1176 grams
2) 1176
3) 1180
4) 1169
5) 1186
6) 1175
7) 1193
8) 1173

Huge swing on the rods. I think this is where balancing helps the most.

Also, this thread concerning rod/piston weight: http://www.duramaxdiesels.com/forum/showthread.php?t=627&highlight=rod+weight
 

kidturbo

Piston Tester
Jul 21, 2010
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www.marinemods.us
From the set of 16 Fingers just did for me before ceramic coating.

+0.20 Oval bowls, valve reliefs, -0.10 off the tops, and pins shaved down.

1293g with rings.
 

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JDPlowboy

Member
Feb 6, 2011
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15618b5b7e1cafecdcdf51399c7cf909.jpg


So now when you buy new pistons from gm you get a unisex Piston now I guess.
f9f6bb47ed42cbf4fa6504306b7714ff.jpg
 

ikeG

Oughta Know Better
Apr 19, 2011
2,465
148
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Western PA
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I'm fixing a LML that rolled in here this week that has one piston skunked. It needs honed and hopefully can stay standard size bore
6092186952b9a4b49e6baa9429523d7c.jpg


Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
 

albinorhino

New member
Jan 13, 2023
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I'm currently having my LML (no tune, deleted, normal usage, 123,000mi) rebuilt due to a blown gasket. During the job, 5 pistons were found to have minor cracks, so they're being replaced with Mahle Motorsport delipped versions. (Mahle also supplies/makes the OEM pistons for GM). In the months I've been ordering parts, and educating myself on the build... the only time "rebalancing" has come up, is in cases where the crankshaft is being upgraded. I'm having the work done by a diesel tech at the GM dealership who's given me some great recommendations over the last month. He's not once mentioned the need to rebalance the engine at this point. For further reference, this truck was meticulously maintained, and not abused in any way. I've found that the reason delipped pistons are offered, is because the "lipped" versions were added (in 2011) to add heat/compression to the chamber, in order to aid in burning off pollutants. Unfortunately, this added stress doesn't seem to help pistons, as much as the environment.
 

albinorhino

New member
Jan 13, 2023
6
0
1
I'm currently having my LML (no tune, deleted, normal usage, 123,000mi) rebuilt due to a blown gasket. During the job, 5 pistons were found to have minor cracks, so they're being replaced with Mahle Motorsport delipped versions. (Mahle also supplies/makes the OEM pistons for GM). In the months I've been ordering parts, and educating myself on the build... the only time "rebalancing" has come up, is in cases where the crankshaft is being upgraded. I'm having the work done by a diesel tech at the GM dealership who's given me some great recommendations over the last month. He's not once mentioned the need to rebalance the engine at this point. According to Mahle, their Motosport Delipped cast pistons weigh the same or less than OEM, and don't require being sent to a shop for balancing.
 

Dozerboy

Well-known member
Jun 23, 2009
4,896
473
83
TX of course
I'm currently having my LML (no tune, deleted, normal usage, 123,000mi) rebuilt due to a blown gasket. During the job, 5 pistons were found to have minor cracks, so they're being replaced with Mahle Motorsport delipped versions. (Mahle also supplies/makes the OEM pistons for GM). In the months I've been ordering parts, and educating myself on the build... the only time "rebalancing" has come up, is in cases where the crankshaft is being upgraded. I'm having the work done by a diesel tech at the GM dealership who's given me some great recommendations over the last month. He's not once mentioned the need to rebalance the engine at this point. For further reference, this truck was meticulously maintained, and not abused in any way. I've found that the reason delipped pistons are offered, is because the "lipped" versions were added (in 2011) to add heat/compression to the chamber, in order to aid in burning off pollutants. Unfortunately, this added stress doesn't seem to help pistons, as much as the environment.

I don't think you can really mix and match lip pistons with delipped piston, unless they are the same weight maybe. There's some disagreements in exactly what pistons are in what trucks, so I think you would be wise to put 8 new ones in it. Lipped pistons have been around since 2004.
 

Chevy1925

don't know sh!t about IFS
Staff member
Oct 21, 2009
21,690
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Phoenix Az
I don't think you can really mix and match lip pistons with delipped piston, unless they are the same weight maybe. There's some disagreements in exactly what pistons are in what trucks, so I think you would be wise to put 8 new ones in it. Lipped pistons have been around since 2004.
2001*. all dmax engines have bowls with a thin edge at the top to help with swirl
 

Chevy1925

don't know sh!t about IFS
Staff member
Oct 21, 2009
21,690
5,847
113
Phoenix Az
I'm currently having my LML (no tune, deleted, normal usage, 123,000mi) rebuilt due to a blown gasket. During the job, 5 pistons were found to have minor cracks, so they're being replaced with Mahle Motorsport delipped versions. (Mahle also supplies/makes the OEM pistons for GM). In the months I've been ordering parts, and educating myself on the build... the only time "rebalancing" has come up, is in cases where the crankshaft is being upgraded. I'm having the work done by a diesel tech at the GM dealership who's given me some great recommendations over the last month. He's not once mentioned the need to rebalance the engine at this point. For further reference, this truck was meticulously maintained, and not abused in any way. I've found that the reason delipped pistons are offered, is because the "lipped" versions were added (in 2011) to add heat/compression to the chamber, in order to aid in burning off pollutants. Unfortunately, this added stress doesn't seem to help pistons, as much as the environment.
So whats the point of your post on a 6 year old thread?

you have not stated if the pistons you are putting in are Mahle OE or Race Cast, massive difference and one that will dictate longevity in your engine. Factory engines do not have a balanced rotating assembly but are balanced "in general" to an average weight of parts. when you change out parts to a non factory part, you could very well be outside of that tolerance and the rotating assembly should be balanced to keep that stock crank alive. All dmax trucks have "lipped" pistons from 2001 to today. your "delipped" pistons still have a lip but its much broader. the reason for it is for a better burn of the fuel, better mpg and a better running truck. instead, you are now hindering that. you also probably dont realize how much quench just changed because those pistons are proably .010 shorter and you state nothing about the machine work beign done.

Anyhow, your facts are incorrect and you need to do more research.
 

albinorhino

New member
Jan 13, 2023
6
0
1
I don't think you can really mix and match lip pistons with delipped piston, unless they are the same weight maybe. There's some disagreements in exactly what pistons are in what trucks, so I think you would be wise to put 8 new ones in it. Lipped pistons have been around since 2004.
I never said I "mixed/matched" pistons. I replaced all of them with upgraded pistons. Only an idiot (IMO) would tear their engine down, and only replace 5 out of 8 pistons, with different type pistons. I'd think that was common sense.
 

Dozerboy

Well-known member
Jun 23, 2009
4,896
473
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TX of course
I never said I "mixed/matched" pistons. I replaced all of them with upgraded pistons. Only an idiot (IMO) would tear their engine down, and only replace 5 out of 8 pistons, with different type pistons. I'd think that was common sense.
FYI there's plenty of "idiots" that do exactly that. Sounds like you know what you're doing though and got all the common sense, so good luck.
 

kidturbo

Piston Tester
Jul 21, 2010
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Somewhere On The Ohio
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FYI there's plenty of "idiots" that do exactly that. Sounds like you know what you're doing though and got all the common sense, so good luck.
Oh now I've tried it several times ya know... And failed every time.. LOL...

My experience with Duramax pistons, no matter who's name is on them, if ya bust one, the rest are guaranteed to follow. 1 bad piston will ruin the whole bunch...
 

TOMAN

Member
Jul 19, 2008
81
18
8
Running the same piston in my LbZ block , no balancing I have 165,000 miles runs and sounds good , all is good with the oil test too , built 6 so far with the same pistons no balancing , one has over 350,000 miles car haulers all is good