Skirt wear on 4" stroke motors, show me yours...
#1
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Granted this example picture is a 4.125 stroke build in an LS3 block (credit Dietcoke here and yellowbullet), but I've heard from several people that skirt wear is tremendous on 4" stroke builds. Some say this brand piston or that brand piston do better, but each time I talk to the next credible source, it contradicts the previous piece of data I picked up.
![](https://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn163/GhostRL/2012-12-18_14-39-47_267.jpg)
So is it a crap shoot, or matter of machine work (piston to bore fitment), or prep on lower cylinder wall/sleeve (polish/radius high load side of sleeve), or are some brands of pistons worse off than others, coating/no coating?
I'm basically looking for representations of engines with 4" stroke that you've taken back apart. If it looks particularly good or bad, what did (or didn't) you do?
Thanks,
TJ
![](https://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn163/GhostRL/2012-12-18_14-39-47_267.jpg)
So is it a crap shoot, or matter of machine work (piston to bore fitment), or prep on lower cylinder wall/sleeve (polish/radius high load side of sleeve), or are some brands of pistons worse off than others, coating/no coating?
I'm basically looking for representations of engines with 4" stroke that you've taken back apart. If it looks particularly good or bad, what did (or didn't) you do?
Thanks,
TJ
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My understanding is that any 4" stroke piston will have some wear.
Chamfer the bottom of the sleeves.
Proper thing is longer sleeves that fully support the pistons at the bottom of the stroke.
Chamfer the bottom of the sleeves.
Proper thing is longer sleeves that fully support the pistons at the bottom of the stroke.
#3
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This is why some suggest no more than a 4.0" stroke.
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Dietcoke,
Don't bother saying TSP had anything to do with this. They will chastise you.
Don't bother saying TSP had anything to do with this. They will chastise you.
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Forged pistons need a .0045"-.0055" piston to wall clearance because of the
alloy's expansion rate.....this causes more piston rock. The 4" arm obviously
increases rod angularity which increases piston speed and side load. The
shorter sleeves will contribute to wear during directional change @ BDC, but
slight amounts of detonation @ TDC will **** the slug and wear it more on
the lifter valley side than the exhaust side. If your tune was on the ragged
edge for max power the 4 that are worn more could have been slightly leaner
or burning a bit hotter. As piston rings wear after more use/abuse; oil contam
ination also contributes to detonation......plenty of factors
alloy's expansion rate.....this causes more piston rock. The 4" arm obviously
increases rod angularity which increases piston speed and side load. The
shorter sleeves will contribute to wear during directional change @ BDC, but
slight amounts of detonation @ TDC will **** the slug and wear it more on
the lifter valley side than the exhaust side. If your tune was on the ragged
edge for max power the 4 that are worn more could have been slightly leaner
or burning a bit hotter. As piston rings wear after more use/abuse; oil contam
ination also contributes to detonation......plenty of factors
#14
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Hey there, the pic of that set of pistons looks pretty bad, but I need to see more. Please send me additional photos to bnutter@wiseco.com Also details of the build and which block was used, how much time was on the motor, any dial bore guage measurements your local machine shop was able to get, if you see a part number pin stamped into the piston tops, unexpected noise on startup, etc. Any ideas you may have on what happened are welcome.
To answer the general question, the blocks have different sleeve lengths. They should all be good for 4" with the iron blocks having the shortest cylinders I'm aware of. Chamfering the bottom of the blocks is tricky and some of the engine builders will sand and radius the bottom of the sleeves. Because the mains are close to the bottom of the sleeves, it's pretty easy to get tight spots at the bottom of the bore when honing. Lastly, going overboard with rod bolt clearancing doesn't help. We've developed skirt successful profiles for 4.250 in a LS7 and other aftermarket blocks with longer than stock sleeves with the math being pretty straightforward. We have a lot of top notch engine builders on this board with a lot of experience with this, so we'll take a look at those parts and see if we can get you an answer.
Thanks, Brian Nutter
To answer the general question, the blocks have different sleeve lengths. They should all be good for 4" with the iron blocks having the shortest cylinders I'm aware of. Chamfering the bottom of the blocks is tricky and some of the engine builders will sand and radius the bottom of the sleeves. Because the mains are close to the bottom of the sleeves, it's pretty easy to get tight spots at the bottom of the bore when honing. Lastly, going overboard with rod bolt clearancing doesn't help. We've developed skirt successful profiles for 4.250 in a LS7 and other aftermarket blocks with longer than stock sleeves with the math being pretty straightforward. We have a lot of top notch engine builders on this board with a lot of experience with this, so we'll take a look at those parts and see if we can get you an answer.
Thanks, Brian Nutter
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Dietcoke I have the build sheet on your engine here if you'd like to see it. Piston to wall was setup at .004" on your build. The extra long stroke does like to wear more on pistons than the 4" setups.
LS3 blocks don't have long sleeves so the longer stroke puts a little more wear on the pistons. LS3/l92 blocks also like to wave the sleeves because they're pretty thin. The bad thing is LSx blocks will solve that stuff, but you just hate to run a heavy block in a already heavy 2010 car.
We do now offer the LSA blocks that are definitely stronger sleeves, but they do cost more $$$$ from GM
![Sad](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/smilies/LS1Tech/gr_sad.gif)
If you'd like a copy of the build sheet let me know!
Jason
LS3 blocks don't have long sleeves so the longer stroke puts a little more wear on the pistons. LS3/l92 blocks also like to wave the sleeves because they're pretty thin. The bad thing is LSx blocks will solve that stuff, but you just hate to run a heavy block in a already heavy 2010 car.
We do now offer the LSA blocks that are definitely stronger sleeves, but they do cost more $$$$ from GM
![Sad](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/smilies/LS1Tech/gr_sad.gif)
![Sad](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/smilies/LS1Tech/gr_sad.gif)
If you'd like a copy of the build sheet let me know!
Jason
__________________
Jason
Co-Owner, Texas Speed & Performance, Ltd.
2005 Twin Turbo C6
404cid Stroker, 67mm Twins
994rwhp/902lb ft @ 22 psi (mustang dyno) www.Texas-Speed.com
Jason
Co-Owner, Texas Speed & Performance, Ltd.
2005 Twin Turbo C6
404cid Stroker, 67mm Twins
994rwhp/902lb ft @ 22 psi (mustang dyno) www.Texas-Speed.com
Last edited by Jason 98 TA; 01-17-2013 at 05:15 PM.
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Dietcoke I have the build sheet on your engine here if you'd like to see it. Piston to wall was setup at .004" on your build. The extra long stroke does like to wear more on pistons than the 4" setups.
LS3 blocks don't have long sleeves so the longer stroke puts a little more wear on the pistons. LS3/l92 blocks also like to wave the sleeves because they're pretty thin. The bad thing is LSx blocks will solve that stuff, but you just hate to run a heavy block in a already heavy 2010 car.
We do now offer the LSA blocks that are definitely stronger sleeves, but they do cost more $$$$ from GM
![Sad](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/smilies/LS1Tech/gr_sad.gif)
If you'd like a copy of the build sheet let me know!
Jason
LS3 blocks don't have long sleeves so the longer stroke puts a little more wear on the pistons. LS3/l92 blocks also like to wave the sleeves because they're pretty thin. The bad thing is LSx blocks will solve that stuff, but you just hate to run a heavy block in a already heavy 2010 car.
We do now offer the LSA blocks that are definitely stronger sleeves, but they do cost more $$$$ from GM
![Sad](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/smilies/LS1Tech/gr_sad.gif)
![Sad](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/smilies/LS1Tech/gr_sad.gif)
If you'd like a copy of the build sheet let me know!
Jason
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Just want to make a note that out of the blue, wiseco offered to make me another set of pistons, with a new skirt profile they came up with to see if it helps with the wear, custom, for the new honed bore. I was blown away, as they contacted ME. Big thanks to Brian Nutter @ wiseco
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Just want to make a note that out of the blue, wiseco offered to make me another set of pistons, with a new skirt profile they came up with to see if it helps with the wear, custom, for the new honed bore. I was blown away, as they contacted ME. Big thanks to Brian Nutter @ wiseco