Are Lighter 440 Pistons Worth the $$$ for the Street?

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Piston Speed

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Howdy,

I'm planning on building a 440 for the street with some passes down the track here and there.

I can get the L2355F as part of a rebuild kit for $750 off Summit Racing, but I do realize they are heavy pistons.

If I go for Icon IC9953 pistons, I'll be spending around $550 for the lighter pistons alone.

Deducting all the other stuff from the rebuild kit, there's a couple of hundred dollars difference between the L2355F and the IC9953.

Is it really worth the money for a mostly street 440?

Thanks.
 
Lighter pistons need (the cost of) engine (re)balancing.
But every kind of weightloss is worth something in any kind of engine.
 
Lighter is easier on parts , and balance without mallory possibly so save some bux there
 
I agree lighter is easier on parts, but those heavy pistons have been used a long time with a good track record. It's not like they are junk.
 
I understand the benefits of lighter pistons; my question is whether they are worth the extra $200-$300 or so for a street 440.
 
Piston Speed said:
I understand the benefits of lighter pistons; my question is whether they are worth the extra $200-$300 or so for a street 440.
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In my opinion, no. It's not like the engine is going to sling apart and fail with the heavier pistons.

In fact, if I ever build a 440, the L2355F will be the pistons "I want".
 
My Diamond forged pistons cost $900.00 with rings. Good investment in my opinion. Its a street motor.
 
You should have it balanced regardless of what the pistons weigh, unless there's no change from the previous build, which isn't going to be the case.

The Icon is a better piston, there's other differences over the older pistons you might like, such as tighter clearances, and they use a smaller ring package too, which is superior.

As for what it's worth...ain't my money. S/F....Ken M
 
Both TRW 's & Icons,will get it done... You're gonna have to have it balanced,either way. How far ,do you see yourself pushing this combination? Just a basic street/strip engine,the TRW 's get it done & well. Ranging into class racing/more strip dedicated business,the lighter ICONS would be my choice. ( You want a 6500 rpm strip/street engine,or a 7500 rpm drag race engine? This,& your budget & conscious through reflective thinking..)
 
A lighter rotating assembly will rev slightly quicker and could feel snappier, specially on the street.
Is it worth spending $2-300 'once', and having a more fun engine 'everytime' you accelerate your car?

Folks use lightweight wheels on car too. Some for the looks but often because they make a car more fun to drive.
 
BigBlockMopar said:
A lighter rotating assembly will rev slightly quicker and could feel snappier, specially on the street.
Is it worth spending $2-300 'once', and having a more fun engine 'everytime' you accelerate your car?

Folks use lightweight wheels on car too. Some for the looks but often because they make a car more fun to drive.
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That's a solid answer.., I can't disagree. At that point: add a set of H/I beams & stroke it. We still don't know budget & PATIENCE to build. :???:
 
Once you do your basic cam, headers and high rise, every additional hp and performance advantage cost more and more with less and less gain even though all the little things do add up and make a decent build into an exceptional one.
If this is the last piece of the puzzle then spend the extra but I'm sure it could be spent better somewhere else.
 
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