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View Poll Results: Intake set up & #7 or #8 piston failure (public poll)
Standard RAM air intake set up from factory & #7 failure
87.50%
Forced induction w/ EFI intake & #7 failure
12.50%
Intake reversed toward cowl & #7 failure
0
0%
Carb style intake & #7 failure
0
0%
#8 failure regardless on intake set up
0
0%
Voters: 8. You may not vote on this poll

Poll related to #7 & #8 piston failures

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Old Sep 26, 2014 | 03:50 PM
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Default Poll related to #7 & #8 piston failures

Please select the option closest related to how your intake was set up when #7 failed. Select #8 if it failed before #7.

It is my opinion that #7 fails first because RAM air or forced induction forces air to the rear of the intake to the #7 runner inlet. This gives #7 more air than the other pistons causing it to run leaner. Others claim it's simply a cooling issue. Regardless, of running slightly warmer @ the rear of the engine, #7 goes first for the reason stated. If it is a cooling issue, there will be an equal amount of #8 failures as the total of the #7 failures @ the end of this poll. Please also comment regarding the piston failure
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Old Sep 26, 2014 | 04:43 PM
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what if you lost #7 on a n/a engine?
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Old Sep 27, 2014 | 06:31 AM
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I picked the first option....but to elaborate, I have a N/A FAST 90 setup on a 2004 GTO (no RAM Air) and had a top ring failure on number 7.
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Old Sep 27, 2014 | 04:02 PM
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Originally Posted by sergo
what if you lost #7 on a n/a engine?

That's option 1.
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Old Sep 27, 2014 | 09:59 PM
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I lost number 7 on a non ram air trans am so ram air has nothing to do with it. Number 7 runs lean and hot because its in the back of the engine and it also gets the intake air rammed into it because its in the back. GM tuned the engines on the rich side to make up for this and a stock tune will keep it cool enough. But when you load a "tune" into these cars that's when the trouble starts. The only engine I lost number 7 on had a "tune" in it. All the others (5) were bone stock and I never had any number 7 trouble. The tuned car ran much better UNTIL number 7 broke and went for a ride out the exhaust.

Last edited by RockinWs6; Sep 27, 2014 at 10:18 PM.
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Old Oct 1, 2014 | 01:00 PM
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Couldn't a good tuner just tune 7 and 8 richer then the other cylinders? And a good steam vent system did the running hot problem?
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Old Oct 1, 2014 | 02:01 PM
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Most piston failures are due to over advanced spark timing and using stock heat range spark plugs. I never exceed 24* timing on LS engines, and I'm at 22* on my 11.5 CR 418 using 94 octane fuel. And I recommend a min of one heat range colder spark plugs plus a 160* F thermostat.

Russ Kemp
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Old Oct 1, 2014 | 05:57 PM
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Think in some cases leaning on a stock type piston can land you in trouble at some point esp on a higher mileage bottom end.
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Old Oct 1, 2014 | 08:33 PM
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Originally Posted by maroonls1z
Couldn't a good tuner just tune 7 and 8 richer then the other cylinders? And a good steam vent system did the running hot problem?
Nope you can only tune the entire banks.
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Old Oct 2, 2014 | 07:28 AM
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That is true....but.....What you can do is get your injector flow tested and put the highest flowing one on that cylinder.
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Old Oct 2, 2014 | 07:33 AM
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Originally Posted by ViaBellator
That is true....but.....What you can do is get your injector flow tested and put the highest flowing one on that cylinder.
This. Plenty of folks have ordered a set from FIC, say 42's or even 60's, and had the rear two made to be a few lbs bigger to compensate.

I ran 27* timing on my Camaro, 145k shortblock before I did the HCI, and was at 11.7 static. Had a gigantic chrs1313 non-AC ram air as well.

I myself never had an issue, but only had the car about a year and a half after that. It WAS my daily driver though, so it's not like it day around and was drove on Saturdays.
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Old Oct 2, 2014 | 12:19 PM
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What if you ran an Edelbrock Victor or Holley Mid Rise, intake centered on top for even runner distribution. Right?

Chad
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Old Oct 2, 2014 | 03:32 PM
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Well I am going through this right now..I got lucky though it didnt fall apart in the cylinder so no damage was done!!
#7 Piston... Engine
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Old Oct 2, 2014 | 10:41 PM
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What symptom's did you have? Mine knocked the top of the piston off, heard it go into the exhaust. After that the car just felt down on power. Only other noise I had was a slight knock.
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Old Oct 3, 2014 | 12:09 AM
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It threw a code for a misfire. No crazy noise or anything. I did all the normal checks with the same results. So I did a compression check and found low compression. And I went on from there.
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Old Oct 3, 2014 | 01:20 AM
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When tune make sure not to live engine in a diet, running lean mixture around town keeps cylinder area super heated and piston is absorbing must the heat sense is the most mayor component without cooling, when you decide to go for it the pistons are heat soaked at which time you decide to turn up the heat (way up) factoring consequences which will sure to outspend fuel savings. Ask me how I know.

Answers to mayor problems are often simple enough to pass us by.
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Old Oct 3, 2014 | 06:05 AM
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Originally Posted by CAMSTER
When tune make sure not to live engine in a diet, running lean mixture around town keeps cylinder area super heated and piston is absorbing must the heat sense is the most mayor component without cooling, when you decide to go for it the pistons are heat soaked at which time you decide to turn up the heat (way up) factoring consequences which will sure to outspend fuel savings. Ask me how I know.

Answers to mayor problems are often simple enough to pass us by.
I am guilty of this and fairly certain it caused my relatively minor #7 ring failure.
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Old Oct 3, 2014 | 10:08 AM
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Wow, very concerning! I haven't done any big mods to the motor yet, but I have plans haha! Now the noob questions (sorry!).

So if you do mods like LT's or head + cam and you need a tune to make it run or get the most out of the mods, what do you say to the guy doing the tune?

Do you tell him to do a "conservative " tune, ie a little more rich and less timing to lessen the chances of grenading the rearmost pistons? Ask him if he's aware of this issue with the motor? Ask these questions without looking like a moron- is this possible lol?

Is it a stretch to say that a tuner wants to show you as much power as possible to highlight his skill and show you everything was money well spent? Motor longevity and well being is part of the equation I'm sure...
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Old Oct 3, 2014 | 04:01 PM
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I can tell you one way to see if you are too far on the lean side in any cylinders. Run the **** out of it at WOT the after it cools down pull all the plugs and look for signs of running too lean. Mine ran fantastic but was blistering the white porcelain on the plugs.
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Old Oct 3, 2014 | 06:57 PM
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Originally Posted by pewter2002
Wow, very concerning! I haven't done any big mods to the motor yet, but I have plans haha! Now the noob questions (sorry!).

So if you do mods like LT's or head + cam and you need a tune to make it run or get the most out of the mods, what do you say to the guy doing the tune?

Do you tell him to do a "conservative " tune, ie a little more rich and less timing to lessen the chances of grenading the rearmost pistons? Ask him if he's aware of this issue with the motor? Ask these questions without looking like a moron- is this possible lol?

Is it a stretch to say that a tuner wants to show you as much power as possible to highlight his skill and show you everything was money well spent? Motor longevity and well being is part of the equation I'm sure...
Idle and drivability ask tuner to live 14.5 or below on the air fuel ratio, this will not effect your wide open throttle torq or hp.

Engine running around 14. / 14.2 air fuel ratio runs happy and cool and have very steady idle.
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