or do the just charge more if you dont have it, and also are the pistons they sell the stock type with the raised wedge? and are they a core exchange as well?
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
(Login KULTULZ) MEL Forum Moderator 69.140.243.168
The Way I Read Their Ad...
No score for this post
October 23 2005, 11:10 AM
Is that the conn. rods are available exchange only, i.e. they do do not sell outright because most likely of scarcity. These rods are remanufactured (brought back to OEM specs).
As for the pistons, you have to be very careful as many here have described receiving replacement pistons without the ridge. The ridge is necessary to take advantage of how the combustion chamber was designed.
Call and ask KANTER both questions and let us know. The only source of true ridged pistons I know is ROSS and they are forged ($). I would like to find a supplier of hypereutectic pistons. Of course, just a regular cast aluminum piston will suffice for just a regular rebuild.
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
I'm going to call kanter on monday and see what they have to say, I might not need the piston, and i hope that to be the case cause i don't want to have to change them all out to a different still (forged or flat).
As far as connecting rod you don't happen to have a spare to sell me do you? Or know of someone who does?
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
(Login KULTULZ) MEL Forum Moderator 69.140.243.168
Connecting Rod
No score for this post
October 24 2005, 12:27 AM
Kanter may well sell one outright. Hard parts are hard to come by it seems, as most only want to sell engine assemblies. You might surf E-Bay. Stuff comes up there frequently. Let me know what they say about their pistons.
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
Only sell rods as exchange. $30 each, Pistons are $45 each, guy on the phone didn't know if they were flat top or not but said it was odd that it said to specify left or right side for the pistons. Thinkg that might be because of the wedge? Guess i'll order one and see.
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
I ordered a set a while back and they were flat top. only ones they had they know it but don't claim to know I believe hoping you'll just keep them after you receive them. MY OPINION
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
You may want to decompress that engine to 8:1 so you can run regular gas. Food for thought. At 10:1 or higher you will need 100 octane or 92 and an expensive fuel additive to prevent spark knock and piston damage.
The pistons have a notch in the tops and the original pistons had that notch pointing foreward on both banks meaning the left and right side were installed 180 degrees different.
I have a set of flat top that says it doesn't matter but Ford thought it did with the the standard 430 pistons.
On page 1-59 of the 1959 Thunderbird Shop Manual for the 430 at FIG. 26 it says Piston and Connecting Rod Assembly it shows pistons that are NOT flat top and "identification to the front of the engine" and in BOLD BLACK PRINT it says "Piston's are not interchangable from one cylinder bank to another."
The pistons shown are 10:1 with a raised top upward toward the intake manifold side. The set of flat tops I bought for an overhaul are marked it doesn't matter. Perhaps because the raised portion of the high compression standard 430 pistons would hit the head in turned the wrong way. With flat tops it shouldn't matter.
Are you the fellow that emailed me a day ago about rods and pistons? If so do you still need them?
Thanks,
Dave
aka
J-Bird430
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
(Login KULTULZ) MEL Forum Moderator 69.140.243.168
Piston Pin Offset
Score 5.0 (1 person)
October 25 2005, 11:16 PM
There are right and left pistons because of the connecting rod pin offset designed into the pistons.
The early MELS (58/59 and 60 in BIRD) had Hi-Compression. In 1960, the CR was cut down as they tried to make the 430 somewhat fuel conservative (2V). One would need the complete set of shop manuals and Master Parts Catalogs to discover how piston dome height changed over the years. But one thing about the engine design is imperative and that is the wedge on the piston itself. If you read theory in the shop manual as to why the combustion chamber is designed in such a fashion, you will find that the wedge as it moves upwards to the flat head surface causes the fuel mixture to be forced as a gas to be sprayed (for lack of a better term) over the ignition of the spark plug. If one uses a flat top, this feature will be negated and I would imagine a lot of HP lost. The wedge is not a pop-up feature but a necessary part of the plank head combustion chamber design.
It seems service replacements now come as flat tops, as they are easy to produce and will fit other types of engines also. If one wanted to lower CR in a MEL, it would be best to retain the wedge and put a dish in the rest of the piston stop. This will require a custom piston, or possible a copy of an early 430 piston dome. As these engines become less and less popular, correct service parts will be more difficult to come by. The same with camshafts. No one has produced blanks for years, so it is difficult to use more modern grinds.
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
I've purchased several items from Kanter for my 51 Packard. They have always been great about finding the right part for me and their service is very good. Some items are pricy but no doubt that reflects the scarcity of the part.
However you can't beat shopping around and eBay has provided me with just about everything I've ever needed for the Packard and my 60 Lincoln. You just have to be patient and keep looking until your part comes up for sale.
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
