KB Pistons

[Noob]

the old addage applies. You can't fix a $400 problem with $150. No matter how you work it.

Instead of spending hours upon hours trying to get a $200 or less set of pistons to work. Why not spend that trying to figure out how to make another $200 so you can get a quality set of pistons that will work with no iffs ands or buts.

[trmnatr]

trmnatr,
There is only one part number for a flat top 400 with a 5.7 rod. $496 at coast, plus the price of rings. The three hundred dollar difference between them and the h616 I used 6 years ago was enough to decide whether or not I could race. Some people just do not have the money. Were I in business, I would not build with this stuff and guarantee it, but it served it's purpose, and the motor is still alive and healthy.

I did not see where 400 was mentioned

[levisnteeshirt]

i read alot of posts on here ,,, i think sometimes , some should realize ,, some motors just don't have the same demand placed on them that others do ,, if your going to try to use a piston like a KB , or the Speed Pros that were mentioned ,, I've saw them do well ,, if you always keep that in mind when your using them. It always has to be a consideration for everything you do with the motor , how much timing , what gas , how much RPM , how hard you abuse it in the burnout area , shift points , , it has to become the deciding factor in everything for you to have success with them.

If you can't focus on the limits these pistons have and still use them and have fun , then you need to go forged

i saw a set of KB's go for a while in a 406 with 2 kits , the block exploded and the crank came out , one or 2 of the pistons looked OK even after that ,,, that kinda sold me on the KB pistons ,,

i had a set in a 355 i punished for 8 years , then it went circle tracking a couple years ,, i'd say thats pretty good life out of a piston

[WeingartnerRacing]

I have beat the hell out of several sets of Probe pistons and no problems. They may cost about $100 more than the KBs but it is cheap piece of mind.

I have seem many, many sets of KB pistons fail(mostly hyper). I will never run them.

[Keith Morganstein]

I never use KB Hypers, but have used many sets of KB (now Icon) forged. Both the 2618 premium and the 4032 FHR varieties.

Because my engine parts distributor has good pricing on them, they are the basic forged piston I use. Mostly they are in my moderate builds, but I have several sets of premium forged KB in engines making 800-1000 HP with no problems. In fact I have never had a problem with their forged pistons at all.

[stock z/28]

For what its worth I have used a lot of KB hypereutectic and FMs as well, with no real issues. How ever I try and avoid the newer FMs since they moved production to India. Thats about a joke in my opinion.

I have used these pistons a lot of budget circle track and some bracket racing engines with no failures that I think were attributable to the pistons themselves, however I refuse to use any top ring that is not ductile, no matter how much of a budget someone is on. If they wont use a ductile ring I wont mess with it.

In my own opinion I think a lot of piston issues really are the result of premature ring failure.

I just wont risk a cast ring in any performance application or anywhere where I think high cyl temps or detonation, or about any condition that would cause ring failure. Its just not worth the cost savings. Same with rod bolts. If they wont put a "good" rod bolt in it I just wont mess with it.


Jeff