Pics of My JE Forged Pistons & Some F54 Block Prep Pics

[slownrusty]

Well after 5weeks, JE finally got my (custom) forged pistons made. The price was quite a bit higher than I was figuring...oh well - its only money right??!! 500whp here I come!

 

The final displacement on my engine will be 2962cc with these pistons (40thou over) in conjuction with the LD28 crank. The pistons will yield a 8.0:1 based on the cc's done to my extenively worked over P90 head.

 

I am going to run a floating wrist pin and not a pressed pin.

 

The pistons are on their way to be Swain coated hence the masking on them.

 

The F54 block is all prepped and ready to go as well.

 

I should have the entire built engine back in less than 2 weeks so I am very excited, as my car has been off the road and out of commission for about 8-9months now.

 

Here are the pics (more on the way):

 

 

 

 

 

Regards - Yasin

[big-phil]

one of these days thats the route I would like to take. Looks good.

[1 fast z]

Looks good, Although the dish should of been taken directly off of your head for perfect quench. As well as they need some LIGHTENING!!!!!

[jgkurz]

Interesting. Here's a picture of my JE pistons. I am using the LD28 crank with a bore of 87.5mm and compression at 7.6:1. My head is a P90.

 

My dish looks deeper and the valve reliefs are WAY different then yours.

 

What head are you using?

 

[slownrusty]

Looks good, Although the dish should of been taken directly off of your head for perfect quench. As well as they need some LIGHTENING!!!!!

 

Each piston was 340grams each...I am sure if JE wanted to make them lighter they would of.

 

 

Interesting. Here's a picture of my JE pistons. I am using the LD28 crank with a bore of 87.5mm and compression at 7.6:1. My head is a P90.

 

My dish looks deeper and the valve reliefs are WAY different then yours.

 

What head are you using?

 

 

Doesn't it make sense that since you are running a lower compression than myself your dish would be deeper? Just asking....?

 

I am also running a P90 head as per my first post.

 

Yasin

[jgkurz]

Doesn't it make sense that since you are running a lower compression than myself your dish would be deeper? Just asking....?

 

I am also running a P90 head as per my first post.

 

Yasin

 

Of course the deeper dish makes sense. I was just an observing that your dish looks substantially less then mine with only .4 more compression. If you unshouded valves and cleaned up the combustion chambers the larger CC chambers might explain the difference. For some reason I missed the P90 your you first post. It's just that I would have thought our pistons would be more similar. I'll see if BRAAP can chime in. I'm sure he'll have a comment.

[slownrusty]

Ok here is my P90 for further clarification...heavily re-worked, ported, polished by Greg Whitehead from http://www.whiteheadperformance.com

 

 

 

 

Regards - Yasin

[Phred]

The valve relief placement does look different. Maybe its just the different depths that create an illusion. The only way to tell if they are in the right location is a simple test. drop a little clay in there and rotate it over to see how much clr. and edge relief you have. I have milled many reliefs in pistons, and set up the valve centerline by a light center punch mark on the piston. When pre-assembling your eng., run the piston up to 10 degrees before TDC. then set the bare head on the block. Take an old valve, and cut the head off, and machine a center point on the remains of the stem. Then just drop it into the guide and lightly tap it. This will leave a mark on the piston at the exact center of the valve at the closest point the valve will come to the piston, usually between 8 and 12 degrees before or after TDC. Also, JE does offer (for a price) a service called 3D lightening. Where they machine the underside of the piston to match the dome, leaving a constant dome thickness. For more comparison, this pic is a set I have that was made with the same forging as Yassin and John's. Its a flattop with deep reliefs for a bigger cam.

Phred

[mario_82_ZXT]

Each piston was 340grams each...I am sure if JE wanted to make them lighter they would of.

 

If I recall correctly, 1 Fast Z lightened his forged pistons in his current engine, and again, if I remember correctly, by a considerable amount.

 

Check his post on zcar.com and see how rev happy his engine is:

http://www.zcar.com/forums/read.php?f=4&i=324485&t=324485

 

Of course not all of us have access to a machine shop

 

I can't wait till I'm done with college and (hopefully) not too broke so I can build up an engine

 

Can't wait to see yours done, you have one of the nicest ZXs out there!

Mario

[Guest 280ZForce]

sweet Yasin, glad to see it finally coming together. You and I are in the same boat right now. My beast is all disassembled, but big plans coming ahead w/in the next couple weeks.

[1 fast z]

 

 

 

Heres my final product, of me lightening my pistons. Here is what a lighter piston does:

 

MAKES THE ROD EXPENENTIALLY STRONGER, AS WELL AS THE CRANK, as well as free up HP.

 

 

THink about it. It takes X amount of HP to drive the internal components of an engine. F=MA, so if you can get Mass to a lower level F in turn becomes lower, making components stronger, bearings last longer, and free up HP as well as make it accelarte faster. Ofcourse there is a science to it, and it takes alot of time, but WELL worth it. These pistons shown are just a hair over 300 grams, and a 3.504" bore.

[woldson]

ummm dose any of this cause a weaken pistion head,,,, I just had to ask.

[slownrusty]

Heres my final product, of me lightening my pistons. Here is what a lighter piston does:

 

MAKES THE ROD EXPENENTIALLY STRONGER, AS WELL AS THE CRANK, as well as free up HP.

 

 

THink about it. It takes X amount of HP to drive the internal components of an engine. F=MA, so if you can get Mass to a lower level F in turn becomes lower, making components stronger, bearings last longer, and free up HP as well as make it accelarte faster. Ofcourse there is a science to it, and it takes alot of time, but WELL worth it. These pistons shown are just a hair over 300 grams, and a 3.504" bore.

 

 

Quite frankly for the price I paid for these pistons, I am not about to start taking chunks out of it to lighten it. These pistons weigh a very "slim" 340g each, so your 10% reduction approx. in weight, yields negligible gains. Thanks for your awesome scientific explanation - that was

REALLY technical. Furthermore I am not about to sacrifice strength integrity for a street car...maybe an all out race car I can see. I respect JE to build a piston to my specs, hp goals and longevity.

 

sweet Yasin, glad to see it finally coming together. You and I are in the same boat right now. My beast is all disassembled, but big plans coming ahead w/in the next couple weeks.

 

Justin - I did not realize your car is apart? What are you doing besides fitting your new sexxxy turbo manifold?

 

Can't wait to see yours done, you have one of the nicest ZXs out there!

Mario

 

Mario - Many thanks!

[1 fast z]

JE, does it for extra cost you just opted to not go for it, ALL custom piston manufactures do it. You take material out of CERTAIN places, not all places, VERY common practice on race engines. But what do we know here at our shop, we only have been doing it for 45 years, on lots of race engines, without failure, LOL. As well as every other race shop and competition engine. And trust me the 14 percent increase is DEFINITLY noticiable. You are using .090" wall tool steel Wrist pins right?

[ezzzzzzz]

What are the actual specs on your pistons (diameter, pin height, ring thickness, etc)? I'm using a LD block and crank with L20B rods to build a 2.9 or maybe a 3.0 liter. The LD block has 84.5mm stock bore and I plan on going up to 86mm depending on sonic test results. The other issue is head gasket. The felpro is 1.25mm compressed and the Nismo is 2mm. I understand Nismo 1mm is NLA. Is there another gasket option I'm missing or failed to find in 'searching'? Do your pistons protrude above deck? What gasket did you decide upon to get to your final compression ratio?

[S30TRBO]

Looking good Yasin, I'm right behind you my brotha..

[Doug71zt]

Yasin - You're going to use factory rods, right? I am building an engine with floating pins right now and the bushings are available from Manley. It took me a while to find them.

 

Part Number 42285-6 should get you 6 of them. The dash number is the quantity. They are Ampco A-18 material and should be installed with a .004¨ press fit. I would heat the rods and freeze the bushings as well as chamfer the edge of the hole to prevent pick-up.

 

The dimensions:

 

ID - .820

OD- .910

Length - 1.015

 

After installation, you hone them to pin-fit. Manley calls for .0008-.0011 pin fit.

 

I had a hard time finding bushings for 21mm pins that were long enough for the wide L-series rod.

 

Good luck

 

PS- How much did Greg charge for the head? He seems to be the only guy locally in Toronto that is doing L-series heads right now.

 

Cheers

 

Doug

[slownrusty]

What are the actual specs on your pistons (diameter, pin height, ring thickness, etc)? I'm using a LD block and crank with L20B rods to build a 2.9 or maybe a 3.0 liter. The LD block has 84.5mm stock bore and I plan on going up to 86mm depending on sonic test results. The other issue is head gasket. The felpro is 1.25mm compressed and the Nismo is 2mm. I understand Nismo 1mm is NLA. Is there another gasket option I'm missing or failed to find in 'searching'? Do your pistons protrude above deck? What gasket did you decide upon to get to your final compression ratio?

 

 

I do not have the spec card on the piston it is still at my engine builder. I am using a F54 block not a LD block. I am also using a 1.0mm HKS metal head gasket, the 2.0mm is NLA.

 

My block is not assembled so I am not sure where the piston tops are relative to the deck. When it is assembled I will snap some pics.

 

Looking good Yasin, I'm right behind you my brotha..

 

Great to hear brother J!! Awesome in fact!

 

Yasin - You're going to use factory rods, right? I am building an engine with floating pins right now and the bushings are available from Manley. It took me a while to find them.

 

Part Number 42285-6 should get you 6 of them. The dash number is the quantity. They are Ampco A-18 material and should be installed with a .004¨ press fit. I would heat the rods and freeze the bushings as well as chamfer the edge of the hole to prevent pick-up.

 

The dimensions:

 

ID - .820

OD- .910

Length - 1.015

 

After installation, you hone them to pin-fit. Manley calls for .0008-.0011 pin fit.

 

I had a hard time finding bushings for 21mm pins that were long enough for the wide L-series rod.

 

Good luck

 

PS- How much did Greg charge for the head? He seems to be the only guy locally in Toronto that is doing L-series heads right now.

 

Cheers

 

Doug

 

Doug - Many thanks for that info!! Much appreciated! Please call Greg at 416-665-2220 and ask him about pricing, he is definitely one of the best in North America.

 

Regards - Yasin

[Guest 280ZForce]

I am also using a 1.0mm HKS metal head gasket, the 2.0mm is NLA.

 

Regards - Yasin

Mr. Yasin my man...there is hope for you if you do need a 2mm metal headgasket.

 

I thought Courtesy Nissan in Texas carries them? That's where I got mine from late last year.

 

If not, then try here, they carry both 1mm and 2mm metal headgaskets...

Scroll down and you'll see where I'm talking about.

http://www.racetep.com/nissan.html

[slownrusty]

J - Courtesy Nissan no longer carries the 2.0mm, they get them directly through Nissan Motorsport and I confirmed this recently. Did not realize TEP has both...that good news! Actually great news.

 

Thanks for that info!

Yasin