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Fly cutting pistons - block in car?

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Old 03-25-2003, 09:39 AM
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Default Fly cutting pistons - block in car?

Has anyone flycut pistons while the block is in the car?

I see some Isky piston notch cutters being sold on the web page....no information is given about the valve stem diameter, valve size, lenght, etc.

I assume you put the cutter head in the head, place the head on the block and rotate the cutter with a drill to cut into the piston.

Is this correct; how diffucult is this?
Old 03-25-2003, 10:46 AM
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Default Re: Fly cutting pistons - block in car?

I belive TEA has a unit they rent out that does what you want maybe you could contact them and they could help.

JR
Old 03-25-2003, 10:58 AM
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Default Re: Fly cutting pistons - block in car?

I haven't done. I don't know how hard it is. I know you put where the valve is and bolt the head back and use a drill. I have a ?? to add to this thread. What do you do to keep it clean and metal shaving out of the motor.
Old 03-25-2003, 10:59 AM
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Default Re: Fly cutting pistons - block in car?

I've used the isky tool. a 5/16" diameter stem and get a cutter one valve size up from the valvesize you're flycutting.

I don't see how there would be adequate clearance to do this with the motor in the car. I did mine with the motor on a stand.
Old 03-25-2003, 01:18 PM
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Default Re: Fly cutting pistons - block in car?

Seems like it would be difficult to hit the rear cylinders.

We did some but on a engine stand a few years ago.
Old 03-25-2003, 05:47 PM
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Default Re: Fly cutting pistons - block in car?

...any one know whether the TEA flycutting unit can be used while the block is in the car?

..thanks...
Old 03-25-2003, 05:57 PM
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Default Re: Fly cutting pistons - block in car?

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Pro Stock John:
<strong> Seems like it would be difficult to hit the rear cylinders.

We did some but on a engine stand a few years ago. </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Do you think you can rig up an air wrench to it. Never seen the tool so im not sure it thats possible but there has to be a way maybe a drill set up like a wrench.

<small>[ March 25, 2003, 06:03 PM: Message edited by: sited12 ]</small>
Old 03-25-2003, 06:53 PM
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Default Re: Fly cutting pistons - block in car?

Anybody here ever heard of a right angle drill?
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...CategoryID=326

<small>[ March 25, 2003, 06:58 PM: Message edited by: Hitman#1 ]</small>
Old 03-25-2003, 06:57 PM
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Default Re: Fly cutting pistons - block in car?

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by sited12:
<strong> </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Pro Stock John:
<strong> Seems like it would be difficult to hit the rear cylinders.

We did some but on a engine stand a few years ago. </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Do you think you can rig up an air wrench to it. Never seen the tool so im not sure it thats possible but there has to be a way maybe a drill set up like a wrench. </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I think that this is what your talking about.
http://www.matcotools.com/Catalog/to...select=&page=3

Second item down

<small>[ March 25, 2003, 07:26 PM: Message edited by: Hitman#1 ]</small>
Old 03-25-2003, 07:12 PM
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Default Re: Fly cutting pistons - block in car?

IIRC, Jason99T/A flycut the pistons on his first solid roller motor with it in the car. I've seen others talk about having done them in the car, though I'm sure it's a sumbitch to get the back ones (just like everything else is)
Old 03-25-2003, 10:09 PM
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Default Re: Fly cutting pistons - block in car?

I just did mine last friday with the engine in the car.It was actually easy to do.The isky tool has an adjustable collar to set cutting depth.Just coat the cutter with grease, install head,run piston up till it hits the cutter,and turn back and forth with a rachet till the collar bottoms out.Takes less than 3 minutes to cut .050 off by hand.
Old 03-25-2003, 11:11 PM
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Default Re: Fly cutting pistons - block in car?

how do you clean all the crap out of the cylinder???
<img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="images/icons/confused.gif" />
Old 03-26-2003, 02:02 AM
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Default Re: Fly cutting pistons - block in car?

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by XLR8VRL:
<strong> how do you clean all the crap out of the cylinder???
<img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="images/icons/confused.gif" /> </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">TTT
Old 03-26-2003, 04:17 AM
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Default Re: Fly cutting pistons - block in car?

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by xaon:
<strong> IIRC, Jason99T/A flycut the pistons on his first solid roller motor with it in the car. </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">xaon, the motor was on the engine stand when we flycut them. It can be done in the car, but I would always prefer to have it on the stand for clean up and ease of use.

Put some grease around the cylinder walls where the piston meets the bore and wipe up the mess. A shop vac comes in very handy here too. You just have to be sure to be very thorough in your cleanup. Also, make sure you get the rough edges knocked off the piston with a cartridge roll,etc.

Jason

<small>[ March 26, 2003, 04:22 AM: Message edited by: Jason99T/A ]</small>
Old 03-26-2003, 04:20 AM
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Default Re: Fly cutting pistons - block in car?

Here are some pics of flycut stock pistons. I posted them in this thread at the end of my orginal post:

https://ls1tech.com/ubb/ultimatebb.p...=011497#000000
Old 03-26-2003, 06:29 AM
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Default Re: Fly cutting pistons - block in car?

Grease on the cutter held alot of material.When we pulled the Head off a shop vac was used.Then pushed the piston down and wiped the walls.After every cylinder was done compressed air was used for a final cleanup.Whole job took less than 2 hours to cut the intakes including cleanup.
Old 03-26-2003, 08:01 AM
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Default Re: Fly cutting pistons - block in car?

If you take much off the pistons it will affect balance. The more you remove the more out of balance your pistons/crank will be.
Old 03-27-2003, 12:10 AM
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Default Re: Fly cutting pistons - block in car?

...if each cut removes approximately the same amount of material from all eight pistons will this still cause the rotating assembly to be out-of-balance?
Old 03-27-2003, 05:20 AM
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Default Re: Fly cutting pistons - block in car?

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by robertbartsch:
<strong> ...if each cut removes approximately the same amount of material from all eight pistons will this still cause the rotating assembly to be out-of-balance? </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Each cylinder is balanced independently. Removing the same amount from each piston does not maintain correct balance. Each cylinder is balanced by removing material from the crank counter weight. The more you remove from each piston the more each and all cylinders will be out of balance.
Old 03-27-2003, 07:05 AM
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Default Re: Fly cutting pistons - block in car?

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Larry:
<strong> If you take much off the pistons it will affect balance. The more you remove the more out of balance your pistons/crank will be. </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I've been revving my car to 6800rpm and I feel no difference.So I wouldn't worry about it.I'm sure the Factory motor isn't balanced perfectly <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />


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