Needs some wisdom thrown my way.

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JeepGuy

JeepGuy

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My 440 is at machine shop, I need to order pistons , the stock rods are all ok but if I'm better off changing them also I will. Crank needed turned down 10 under. Block was bored 30 over , I've never had a motor rebuilt before so I have no idea what I'm looking for. I'm not looking for huge power right now but will prob upgrade heads in a few years , plan on small cam upgrade now with fuel injection. What pistons and or rods should I be looking at ?
 
Before your block is bored have your machinist check the main bearing saddles for round and alignment . While he is there have him check the head surface for flat and square with the main saddle centerline . After that , bore the block with plates . Money well spent . I recommend forged lightweight pistons because of their toughness but hyperutectic pistons are o.k. for street . "LY" rods are fine for moderate performance . Just have them rebuilt . BALANCE everything ! Iron heads are o.k. with mild bowl work . I suggest a MP cam with .488" lift . great all around bumpstick . Factory valve train , rockers and pushrods . With this bottom end upgrades are easy-peasy .
 
How fast do you want to go and how much do you want to spend?

Totally out of the blue, and fairly reasonable budget, I'd say Icon 9953 FHR pistons, which can use the stock rods with 1.094 pin. MSRP is 595.94, so figure streetprice is about 100 less or so. This is their street alloy 5/64 ring piston, basically a seriously improved stock type design. Tighter sizing, not really light, but nice improvement from stock junk.

The next step up is IC-968, this is the race alloy 1.094 pin piston, using 1/16 ring set. Stock rod compatible, just better ring stack, stronger material.

If you're going to change rods, go to a .990 pin, and that'd be IC-822. 1/16 rings, lighter pin. These are Icon's Premium line, MSRP 689.39, so figure 100 less street. Same for the IC968.

Now, by the time you spend the $ resizing the rods, putting good ARP bolts in them, etc, you're a long way towards a set of Eagle or Scat 4340 H beams. Which is just a LOT better. Now, if you're just looking for a strong 440 street engine, stock rods, with good bolts and lighter pistons are fine. Say 5500-6000rpm fun motor. I'd suggest main studs, so needs to be line honed(not bored) which is a good idea regardless on a serious rebuild.

All of this is contingent on what you're doing with it. If you putting a fresh motor in the pickup for driving to the SuperDawg on Friday night, then a set of hypereutectic KB's is perfect. But we call them "hyperexplosive" in the machine shop for a reason. We had a LS7 (titanium rod, good motor LS) road race guy make a money shift and it pulled the pin right out the piston, which then basically turned to metal sand. Do people get great use from them? Of course. This is a conservative recommendation.

Similar pistons from Wiseco, Probe, Ross are doubtlessly also good. I'm just most familiar with the Icon stuff. S/F....Ken M
 
Wisdom?

Tarp your load. Child support is a *****.
 
Are the ones 440 source sells any good? I think I'm over thinking this for a relatively stock build
 
First you got dicide which heads you plan on buying down the road ? So you can buy pistons that give you the desired CR.
And to figure out desired CR you also need to firgure out which cam will be used with the new heads.

How much power you ultimately looking for ?

440 with Trick Flow heads 10.5:1 and hydraulic roller can get you over 600 hp and being a pretty simple build. Even lesser aftermarket heads get get you over 500 hp.
 
tarp your load, hah..........that's so funny!
700 wives and concubines besides, and not a tarp to be found for thousands of years,lol. Where of where did he find the time to run his kingdom.
Wisdom; stay away from multiple wives
 
Honestly I'd hone in on your goal for the build. Do you have a HP in mind, 1/4 ET? How high do you want to rev it? Do you want a smooth idle or teeth rattling thump or something in between? What's your budget for the whole thing? Stock rods and relatively stock pistons can be used to make great power, but if you are reving it to the moon or want big HP numbers aftermarket is the way to go.

Also keep in mind you will need other things depending on the build. Torque converter, gears, etc.

Garth.
 
Depending on your later performance goals you can use any stock replacement piston, or KB hypers (my choice as long as the block has not been finish honed yet), or any number of forged choices. Don't bother stroking it. Just build it and go have fun.
 
If you need a crank rods and pistons why don't you just buy a rotating assembly from 440 source?
 
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