What pistons for build.

matt78

Finally boosted launches
Sep 10, 2012
924
0
0
texas
I run mahle race cast in my motor. Has 12, 000 miles now. Mods are in my sig, similar to yours. I tow a 5th wheel, race, haul crap in the bed, etc.
 

dirtymax36

2nd place is last
Apr 11, 2013
367
2
18
If you decide to go a different route, i have a set of lb7 pistons out of a stock truck with 75k on them. perfect condition. I just cant justify a build right now and need the money from them. Thanks!
 

bcdeutsch731

Member
Nov 4, 2010
619
13
18
41
Illinois
My vote is for Fingers cast pistons. That is what I have been running in my truck for the last 2 years at 1100rwhp on the race tune. I'm going to tare the motor down tomorrow to see what the pistons look like after about 200 1/4 mile passes and 3000 miles of hard street use.
 

Hot COCOAL

May the farce be with you
Jun 9, 2012
4,433
0
0
I think youre misunderstanding the stages of the cam and head. remember every manufacturer has theyre own version of stages. I picked up a set of socal stg 1 heads for a good price so I went with them. I just ordered a stg 2 edp alt firing order cam. 2 different companys which have theyre own way of rating things. edp rates that cam to be good up for 900hp and considers it a street/competition cam. which is exactly what itll be used for.

now I will NEVER tow with this truck. it doesn't even have a hitch :D

when picking out a cam you will have to pick out a stall to match. seeing this cam is more for mid to high rpm range. I have picked out a converter to match. ill be ditching my MLG and going with an MLGK. which has a stall of 2400-2600. so combining that with the cam will actually mate together and should work out well in my build.

850-900hp was in theory my goal

Got it:thumb:
I didn't stop to think different shops have different grinds and applications for their "stages" so that's good to be aware of :D

Good info/insight about matching the stall of the converter up to where the cam wants to be, I think that little step gets all to often overlooked...thanks:hug:
 

hondarider552

Getting faster
May 28, 2008
10,627
2
36
34
Arizona
Your build is/was identicle as mine.

I can DD my truck, make 900+rwhp, and went with stock LB7 pistons, cut them, dropped the CR to 16.5 and put new rings in. 6000miles on my build no issues. They are good enough for me to play with nitrous with and run 10.60's at the track. as long as you don't get greedy stock LB7/LLY pistons will get you what you want.

I would have gone forged in my built but im not going to pay 2k+ for pistons, and have to tear it down 30k miles later for new rings. plus stock pistons have been proven reliable.
 

03spoolindmax

New member
Nov 9, 2011
674
0
0
36
Mi
Your build is/was identicle as mine.

I can DD my truck, make 900+rwhp, and went with stock LB7 pistons, cut them, dropped the CR to 16.5 and put new rings in. 6000miles on my build no issues. They are good enough for me to play with nitrous with and run 10.60's at the track. as long as you don't get greedy stock LB7/LLY pistons will get you what you want.

I would have gone forged in my built but im not going to pay 2k+ for pistons, and have to tear it down 30k miles later for new rings. plus stock pistons have been proven reliable.

I wanted to run stock piston but seeing that I need reliefs put in the pistons. it'll just make them weaker.

Id love to run fingers pistons but I can't find them any cheaper than $2100. If I'm spending that much on pistons I'm going forged. I messaged fingers and he told me to get them threw his suppliers.

I'm just going to run a mahle cast with reliefs which will be a 16.5:1 CR. They should get the job done for what I'm after.
 

Dirtymaxx03

Active member
Aug 4, 2009
3,109
1
38
If/when I build a motor I'll be honest and say I'm using de lipped and coated lb7 pistons.
Stock pistons, carillos, head and main studs. 100 overs and 2 stock LBZ pumps. Done.

I would love to dyno 900hp but I'm more concerned about scooting around the street with 700 at the wheels. Not trying to plant 900hp to the ground in 2 seconds lol
 

hondarider552

Getting faster
May 28, 2008
10,627
2
36
34
Arizona
I wanted to run stock piston but seeing that I need reliefs put in the pistons. it'll just make them weaker.

Id love to run fingers pistons but I can't find them any cheaper than $2100. If I'm spending that much on pistons I'm going forged. I messaged fingers and he told me to get them threw his suppliers.

I'm just going to run a mahle cast with reliefs which will be a 16.5:1 CR. They should get the job done for what I'm after.

So why not keep the stock cam and run stock pistons?

I kept the stock cam and it spools my single 80 decently. Asking more from my setup at a lower rpm is not wise, but I have to drive it like a big single. Doesn't bother me.
 

LWATSON

future trans limpers
Jul 30, 2008
2,587
1
36
55
Scotland Neck NC
I've seen an entire set of stock deliped pistons with valve reliefs crack. One completely failed, that was the reason the engine was torn down and the other 7 had small cracks where the relief and the bowl meet. Engine was about 900 on fuel and a huge shot of nitrous. Don't know the HP with nitrous but the truck weighed about 6800 and traped 135 mph. They can take allot but I'd be scared much over 900.
 

Utahski

New member
Oct 20, 2008
546
0
0
Northern Utah
I've been gathering parts for my build and well pistons are the last thing I need before it heads off to the machine shop.

Goal is for around 850-900hp. Truck is not a daily driver but will see some street time on the weekend and heading to the local track also.

Turbo setup will be an s480 over a 68mm 4094. Stage 1 SoCal heads, EDP stage 2 alt firing cam, Carrillos, main & head studs, dual fuelers & 100% over injectors are the main parts to the build.

So it seems I have a few choices of pistons I've been looking at. Fingers oval bowl, mahle race cast, or just C&C lb7/lly pistons. They'll all need .075" valve reliefs put in them due to the cam. Wanting to be somewhere in the lower 16:1 CR.

i know you can't go wrong with fingers or mahle pistons but if I can get away with a lb7/lly pistons id rather run them. Very rarely will it be on the max effort tune. I'll mainly keep it around 700hp or so which is more than enough for the street.

There are 3 guys on here - that I know of - with LB7's who've made well over 900hp with delipped stock pistons that held up just fine. One truck is a puller that was thrashed real hard for 4yrs at something like 950/980hp uncorrected. The others are street drivers with stock heads/cam, 40/45% injectors, 950-1000hp on the race tune.....hp is from big turbos. Both have run mid 10's or faster.

My daily driver has Mahle Motorsport pistons because I was spending the money and everything else was built, and I wanted them. But delipped stock pistons would probably be just fine. The biggest race tune is well over 900 and useless for the street anyway. The everyday tune at 750/1350 is more than enough to scare the crap out of a passenger and really too much for street all-terrain tires. I don't use all of that very often either.
 
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