Jim5870

Going to be rebuilding a 12V this summer/fall.
I see kits with standard pistons and kits with Marine Pistons and three HG
thicknesses.
Not sure which option I should consider? Could somebody please educate me
on the subject?

It will be a mild engine for the street, won't be towing,
but sometimes the truck runs at max gross weight,

Parts I'll re-using from the old engine...
190 injectors, gov spring, stage 1 pin, HX-35, turned up pump,
trans beefed up allready.
Also thinking of a performance cam re-grind and getting the rotating assy balanced and a Fluidamper

Dieselbuilder

http://s358.photobucket.com/user/wes...?sort=6&page=1

Jim5870

I hate to drag up old posts but I still haven't been able to make a choice
on pistons.
Small or large bowl?
I've read that large bowl pistons will cause....
-poor cold starting
-more exhaust haze
-need to run a marine injector to match the bowl.

and I have read that people have used them without problems.

Not sure which piston to get,
advice anyone?

patdaly

Man, I don't know if you are going to stay that mild why you would change from stock at all.

Perhaps have the piston tops coated, but you don't need to lower your CR at all.

cougar

Choosing pistons is like choosing girl friends. Depends on you mood at the moment.

Dieselbuilder

Pistons .......there is a theory to madness. Spray patterns of injectors... more advanced timing bigger spray pattern but can be changed with different nozzles. It is how the fuel enters the bowl. CR .... theory in this higher cr can be better for fuel mileage lower better with twin turbos ........... like I said you can wright a book on this end result it is what you want in the end what you want to do. Marine pistons are made to run hard for hours on end at full throttle ( in a boat?) for what you want the marine would be a good way to go!!

Jim5870

I guess I'm happy with my power level at the moment,
but I cant rule out that I might want to add a little more power later.

So the bottom line is open pistons are good as long as you have the right
nozzles on the injectors ??

patdaly

Yep, make sure the angle matches the piston, there are countless 600 plus Hp trucks with stock pistons.

bannerd

I second the stock pistons myself. Mahle makes good pistons as well but expensive and sadly are the same material as stock (tensile strength). To bad supertech stopped making diesel pistons

Rick 12v CTD

Whatever pistons you go with, make sure you have the injectors nozzles with the matching spray angle.

Other than that, I like my 155* pistons with my marine nozzles.

For what you plan to do, I would recommend keeping it closer to stock.

I would also recommend the stock cam. Can't really go wrong with it at lower power levels.