uncle tony's garage gets called out by the roadkill guys
Here's a question....
Some of you like to tout that if piston manufacturers thought "reversing" pistons was a great idea, they'd put in an offset... Well, lets think about that from a "common sense" approach.
If they thought the offset was good, they'd leave it as was, but NO, the pit the piston pin dead center. Why? Less side load..... yes? Less side load means more available power?
So given the lack of aftermarket pistons, I can get less sideload by simply flipping the flipping pistons, how am I NOT getting the same benefit? You know, from a common sense perspective?
Because the piston in question has an offset in both planes (I think that is the correct term). IOW’s, using random numbers if the pin is offset .100 towards the thrust side it is .100 away from the non thrust side.
What happens to ring seal if you move the pin off center? I don’t know as that’s way above my pay grade. But this I do know for a fact. Any time the piston can rock in the bore you lose ring seal and that is lost power. How much does an offset pin affect ring to cylinder contact? I don’t know that. You could probably call a piston manufacturer and ask them.
Or you could call them and ask if they will offset the pin. I’m sure they will. That may open a conversation about ring seal and offset pins.
There has to be way more to it than just offsetting the pin or it would be done to the point it would be a big marketing tool.
Again, it is highly irresponsible for UT or anyone else to propagate this stuff when he himself hasn’t tested it. He’s repeating some old tale. Yet you say I have to prove him wrong. You hold me to a higher standard than UT. That I don’t get.
Did you get on HIS boobtube page and ask HIM to prove it? Just because it’s in books doesn’t mean it’s correct. I’ve got a library full of books with incorrect **** in them.
FWIW, I would never tell a customer to swap his pistons around. Ever. It makes zero sense. I know a guy who was given Chrysler money to develop some Stock Eliminator stuff in the late 60’s and early 70’s. Of all the things we discussed over several years of our association he never once mentioned swapping the pistons on the rods. Not once.
I know we spent at least 15 hours just on the oiling system of a SBM. And the differences of what he did and what I was doing. Let alone valve jobs (NHRA legal valve jobs), balancing and a dozen other topics we regularly discussed.
And yet, it never came up about swapping the pistons on the rods. We did discuss, at great length cylinder wall finish, geometry and ring configuration. We had both used ring spacers to get to a thinner ring. We both found some power doing it. And we both agreed it was better to get a piston with thinner ring grooves in it to start with. Unless you are stuck by a senseless NHRA rule that is now killing all the older engine combinations (from what I’m told...I haven’t followed Stock eliminator much lately...they may have let up on the ring rules a bit) there is no reason to run a thick ring.
There is by FAR more power in thinner rings. We all have to buy rings. Spend a bit extra and get a good ring pack and make power.
Ive never been a fan of dumpster style engine builds or rebuilds. Buy once, cry once is what I always say.
