pistons

[Lawrie]

what is the best pistons to use in a stock engine,I see the suppliers have one sort and EGGE machine others,
Any preferences
Thanks Lawrie

[tbirdtbird]

let us know how you make out

[Tom Wesenberg]

My friend bought a set of EGGE pistons for his A, and I installed them, but I thought 2 of the wrist pins felt just a hair loose for being new parts. They might have been closer to .001" than .0002" to .0005".

Wish I knew who made what as far as the pistons.

[John Stone]

I have had minimal problems with the ones Snyder's sell and they are offshore.

[dave in australia]

Originally Posted by Lawrie

what is the best pistons to use in a stock engine,I see the suppliers have one sort and EGGE machine others,
Any preferences
Thanks Lawrie

JP Pistons, Adelaide. The best available and Australian.

[100IH]

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Many recommend Silv-O-Lite made in Nevada. Been around for a long time.

[Tom Endy]

Originally Posted by 100IH

Many recommend Silv-O-Lite made in Nevada. Been around for a long time.

Silv-O-Lite are good quality pistons. you can find them on line and order that way. Some of the major suppliers used to carry them until they switched to Chinese made.

Several in my area have installed Silv-O-Lite's after pistons from the suppliers failed. I have then in the engine in my Victoria.

Tom Endy

[John Stone]

Originally Posted by Tom Endy

Silv-O-Lite are good quality pistons. you can find them on line and order that way. Some of the major suppliers used to carry them until they switched to Chinese made.

Several in my area have installed Silv-O-Lite's after pistons from the suppliers failed. I have then in the engine in my Victoria.

Tom Endy

How did the suppliers pistons fail? Did they tell the supplier? I really want to learn. -- Thanks.

[Tom Endy]

Originally Posted by John Stone

How did the suppliers pistons fail? Did they tell the supplier? I really want to learn. -- Thanks.

There were some posts about this a year or so ago. The pistons virtually melted, starting with number 4. I spoke to the owner of one of the major suppliers. However, they had not received any other complaints. This is often a response you hear from a supplier. We had a total of four engines exhibiting this failure mode. The common thread is that all four of us drive our Model A's, regularly and on long tours. They don't just sit in the garage.

One of the engine builders we took one of the engines to for some work commented that these were really poor quality pistons. He demonstrated by measuring the diameter of one, then held it under a hot water tap for a few minutes, then measured it again. It had increased in diameter about .005.

All four engines were re-bored and Silv-O-Lite pistons were installed. All four are running strong now.

Tom Endy

[CarlG]

Originally Posted by Tom Endy

... I spoke to the owner of one of the major suppliers. However, they had not received any other complaints. This is often a response you hear from a supplier. ...

I often wonder if "really" no one is complaining, or if that's just their stock answer to anyone who complains.

Could also be that one who may have a complaint just doesn't because . . .

[tbirdtbird]

I agree with Carl.

Also consider this:

1. not everyone will complain
2. not everyone is knowledgeable enough to complain and will attribute the root cause to something else, usually unrelated
3. no two Model A owners nowadays use their cars in the same way.
Parts that might work OK for an ice cream car MAY NOT work well in a touring car where we are going mile after mile hour after hour.

Certain parts CANNOT be skimped on. Pistons, clutch discs, etc. Pay the freight and get something decent. There is an old saying, penny wise and pound foolish......
Cheap pistons that melt, have the top ring land crumble away, etc etc , are in fact the most expensive of all when you have to do it all over again. The previous threads over the past year are very revealing

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Rich Fallucia now is offering a nice piston, ...just to add to the list.

[Drive Shaft Dave]

When my engine was put together, Silvolite pistons were used, no problems in thirty years.

[John Stone]

Originally Posted by Tom Endy

There were some posts about this a year or so ago. The pistons virtually melted, starting with number 4. I spoke to the owner of one of the major suppliers. However, they had not received any other complaints. This is often a response you hear from a supplier. We had a total of four engines exhibiting this failure mode. The common thread is that all four of us drive our Model A's, regularly and on long tours. They don't just sit in the garage.

One of the engine builders we took one of the engines to for some work commented that these were really poor quality pistons. He demonstrated by measuring the diameter of one, then held it under a hot water tap for a few minutes, then measured it again. It had increased in diameter about .005.

All four engines were re-bored and Silv-O-Lite pistons were installed. All four are running strong now.

Tom Endy

Did they melt the top or was the skirts scored? I have seen that if the cylinders were not honed enough for clearance or the engine was abused and overheated when it was newly rebuilt. Some people say "Break 'em in like you're gonna drive 'em". That could result in scored pistons/cylinders. I am not of that school.

[tbirdtbird]

"He demonstrated by measuring the diameter of one, then held it under a hot water tap for a few minutes, then measured it again. It had increased in diameter about .005."

that should answer the question

and it was the tops and the ring lands

[colin1928]

Lawrie I have used over the most of the pistons listed above including from the main A model suppliers without problems just set clearance as per manufactors instruction all different
I go with JP pistons they are local and great pistons a little pricey but being local no big shipping cost
if you want the very best I recommend Ross

[Lawrie]

Colin,We use the Ross forged in our flathead dragster,but they are forged,do they make a cast Model A piston,
I will look at the JP ones also.
Lawrie