deck the block vs aftermarket pistons..

duster731 said

Well I have my new 302 heads sitting at home but when milling heads then id have to do the same to the intake and get shorter rods..... So so far I think Aftermarket pistons would be a good idea but is there any other pistons I can get without balancing the assembly

Click to expand...

Duster, you are right about the heads. If your pistons are (like mine were) .300+ down the cylinder, you'll never be able to cut enough off the head to make it work.

You need to get a weight on your pistons and pins. The KB 167 is ~640 grams (piston and pin). If your piston and pins are in that range, then you could probably get away without the balance job, but that usually only runs about $125; decking the block ~ $75; boring the block if you go over size on the pistons (which I would do); ~$100; plus your rebuild parts, and you could have a strong running 318 for well under $1K.

Just for a point of reference, here's an article from Popular Hotrodding titled:


Southernman