Guest Ian turbo240 Posted September 16, 2002 Share Posted September 16, 2002 A couple of years ago I built a 3.1 liter L28ET with the 720 truck Z24 pistons. Well, after much drag racing and detonation, they have given up. I tore down the engine yesterday, and decided to ante-up and purchase some forgings. I've been reading past posts on this subject and it seems most people have used JE. Like everyone else, I'd like to get a lot for little monetary output. Anyway, who has good forgings for the least cost? I really don't want to spend $900 on this. However, I will if that's the only option. Thanks. Ian BTW, the engine is an F54/P90 with LD28 crank and L24 9mm rods. Turbo is T3/T4, Starion intercooler, Z31 electronics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffp Posted September 16, 2002 Share Posted September 16, 2002 Give Robello racing a call. I think they have just what you want sitting on the shelf ready to go. Talk to Dave and tell him Jeff Priddy sent you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Shasteen Posted September 16, 2002 Share Posted September 16, 2002 Hey Ian, Not really up on the Inliner components; I know your 3.1L equals 3100cc's and I would be curious as to why your engine detonated your pistons. Do you feel your piston's life expectancy was short because they were not forged or because they were damaged purely from detonation? If you cam is mismatched to your cylinder heads and too much cylinder pressure is allowed to bleed off prior to the cylinder being sealed (Intake Valve Closing) then once airflow does increase....if your Static Compression Ratio is also too low-then you will experience detonation. All this can and will be exacerbated w/a turbo. 1) What camshaft are you running (seat to seat timing please, w/LSA & Intake Centerline Angle)? 2) What boost are you running w/your turbo? 3) What "Mechanical" Static Compression Ratio did you set your engine up with? 4) Do you know what your Total Combustion Chamber cc's add up to? 5) What is Your Block Deck Height? 6) What is your Connecting Rod Length? Every recent article (within the last 10 years) I've read have always used JE Pistons when it came to custom pistons and have always had nothing but excellant things to say about them. Unfortunately when you use the word custom-everything will cost more...and at an exponential rate simply because its 'custom'(to state the obvious, of course). Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z-Gad Posted September 16, 2002 Share Posted September 16, 2002 Well Ian, I went with the LZ24 pistons first as well. They lasted all of ~1500 miles before I started shattering ring lands. I went with ROSS pistons and Total Seal rings and...so far so good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lockjaw Posted September 16, 2002 Share Posted September 16, 2002 I used Ross pistons in my turbo engine, and they were cheaper than JE. Very robust piston, and they looked nice. They will likely get my business again when I build another engine. This one has been under 15 psi only long enough to get the boost raised to 15, and has gone for periods of time waiting on a turbo, currently on my third turbo. Probably 4 or 5 years old right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted September 16, 2002 Share Posted September 16, 2002 I have dealt with Ross several times too. I ship sets of SBC pistons oversees all the time (My Dad and several others use them exclusively on their race cars). Their customer service is excellent, their product line is brilliant----plus they are only 2 miles from my house. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lockjaw Posted September 16, 2002 Share Posted September 16, 2002 Man it must suck to be only two miles away from Ross. Why don't they have anything like that over here? We have paved roads ( although I have driven on dirt ones that were smoother ), we have indoor plumbing (most of us ), and best of all, no tree huggin' granola eatin' hacky sackin'left wing environmentalist wacko's. What more could you ask for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted September 16, 2002 Share Posted September 16, 2002 You obviously haven't walked down the beach in Santa Monica/Malibu or Manhattan Beach!! Chicks, baby....like very few places on Earth!! Well, that and 365 days of beautiful weather. But I hear ya....dag-um Liberals!! Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted September 16, 2002 Share Posted September 16, 2002 Made the bike ride along the strand in Manhattan Beach many a time. I have several, very vivid images etched into my mind that I am sure will not fail me when I am a drooling old codger sucking down jello in a nursing home. Ahh, I don't care if they are liberals or Rush Limbaugh's illegitimate love child. Visions of spandex hugging the female form transcends all political boundaries.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awd92gsx Posted September 17, 2002 Share Posted September 17, 2002 Does Ross keep pistons on the shelf for L28ET's? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lockjaw Posted September 17, 2002 Share Posted September 17, 2002 You got to be kidding right? Usually only specialty stockers (topend, robello, JWT ) will have them on the shelf. Datsuns have more piston combinations which makes stocking them tough. Ross doesn't play about getting them out though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian turbo240 Posted September 18, 2002 Share Posted September 18, 2002 Well, here's an update on my situation. I have talked to Rebello and my local machine shop and I've decided to make some changes to my setup. First, the 89mm bore is too big to run the kind of boost I'm looking for. Therefore, I'm going to start with a virgin F54 block and bore it to 87.5mm. This seems to be the best compromise between cylinder wall thickness and displacement. This will give me a tru 3.0 with the LD28 crank. Also, after talking to Rebello, it seems they have a decent price on the JE Forged pistons, and they have all of the piston config's on file. All I need to do is cc the head to confirm the c/r, and call up 'ol Dave Rebello to place the order. He claims he can get the pistons from JE in about 10 days. He doesn't stock any because of the wide number of configurations people have used in turbo L engines. So, anyway, what started out to be a patch job is ending up to be building a entirly new bottom end. So, one last question. I'll be going this far, should I have some port work done on the head? Honestly, I don't think that I could take advantage of porting with the turbo I'm running. I definately can't afford to upgrade the turbo, since that would also delegate upgrading the Starion intercooler to a Spearco. What do you guys think? BTW, the turbo I'm currently using is a T3/T4 with stock turbine and V-trim compressor. I've been told it should max out at about 340hp. Then there's the question of, "will the starion intercooler support 340hp?" Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted October 3, 2002 Share Posted October 3, 2002 What's the price range Rebello is asking? I'm going with a normally aspirated high compression motor and was assuming that forged would be necessary. But perhaps not. I'm not going to race or drag my car, and I just want a good strong street motor. Could I get away with cast and where's the best place to get custom cast pistons? (I'm using standard 280 crank with the longer 9mm 240 rods, so I need to order pistons with the wrist pin holes drilled 2.5mm closer to the piston deck). Alex in VA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 280Tom'z Posted October 3, 2002 Share Posted October 3, 2002 i'm also looking to buy forged for my 3.1 N/A nitrous set up so dose anyone know the prices off some of the companys. and by the way Alex you wouldnt happen to know Dave Hall from your area another Z guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted October 3, 2002 Share Posted October 3, 2002 I'm fixin to have a beer with Dave tonight. Want me to say hello? I hope Dave eventually resurrects his Z car, it's been down for 2+ years! Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffp Posted October 10, 2002 Share Posted October 10, 2002 I say get the best price from who ever will give it to you. All of the pistons are from the same forge/molding and shipped off to the various companies. I use to work for sivilite they did cast pistons and allot of companines use them, including the car manufacturers. Just make sureto get the correct material, likethe high silicone aluminum, and you should be good to go. I went with Je because they were quick to have them made. I did a custom piston for my car and they did a very nice job on them. I have also heard Ross does a good job, as well Aries pistons. So go for the best deal and you should be just fine Ian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lockjaw Posted October 11, 2002 Share Posted October 11, 2002 Who said the cylinder wall was to thin at 89mm? Here is something to mull over. The L6 block bored to 89 mm still has thicker cylinder walls than the stock 300zxtt block. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian turbo240 Posted October 11, 2002 Share Posted October 11, 2002 Second update. The pistons have been on order from Dave Rebello since Sept. 18th. I called them last week on Tuesday to find out an ETA. They didn't have an answer other than "we'll be getting some in tomorrow and if yours are in there we'll let you know". I called them yesterday and got the same answer. Frankly, I'm beginning to become a little skeptical. I was originally told 10 days by Dave himself and he assured me that he had the bludprints for the piston I needed. It should've been a snap. It's not that I'm in a hurry, I just like to be told the truth. If the pistons take a month, then that's what I want to be told. I'm willing to wait as long as the product I get is correct. Anyway, I'm working on the intercooler plumbing and other things while I wait. We just got a new TIG welder at work so I've been playing with that a lot. Also, I was not given a solid price. Dave told me "about $115 each" and that doesn't include pins or rings. I'm figuring on spending about $900 to $1000 including pins and rings. Any more than that will be a ripoff. So, I'll wait some more. Next week I'll call them again and probably ask for Dave. I'm only calling once a week because I know I don't like customers to hound me about things constantly. I'll keep you guys posted on the outcome. I'm sure it'll work out. I have faith in Rebello since they've built some pretty wicked Datsun/Nissan engines. Dave definately knows his stuff. Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cody 82 ZXT Posted October 12, 2002 Share Posted October 12, 2002 I know how you feel. that always seems to be what happens for me when I'm ordering something or having something made. Right now my head is at the machine shop and as of today it's only one day late but, they are closed for the weekend when I have time to work on it. Oh well. Stuff happens. Right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian turbo240 Posted October 18, 2002 Share Posted October 18, 2002 Dave Rebello called me on Wednesday and told me that my pistons were in. I am very excited about that! Anyway, I'm expecting them today. The grand total $$$ was about $1050.00. Before you have a coronary, that includes pins, pin fitting, rings, and whatever shipping costs. The pistons by themselves were $115 ea. I went with an 88mm bore size for stronger cylinder walls. Anyway, I'll post again after I have them in my hands. They are supposed to have a dish that resembles the combustion chamber's shape. Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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