Twister

here is a picture of a stock 86 piston, see the dot, that points to the front. Putting pistons in backwards would put a valve relief on the opposite side and risk bending a valve in the real world. Now a race shop that has a bunch of tools and a machine shop can modify the pistons, but if it was my car, I would not risk bending my valves

[IMG]local://upfiles/28634/364D0EDD4A49401F8A490A41FE90609C.jpg[/IMG]

randy78045

Thanks...

ckyguy68

yes, a backwards piston is the mistake of an idiot building an engine. backwards piston=bent valve... engine failure... etc.

88stangaruu

You have to cut valve reliefs on the other side, and on some pistons they have double valve reliefs. In an all out racing engine its worth it, for the street....dont waste your time.


Below is a link, in that buildup, he installs the pistons backwards to increase piston dwell time at TDC/BDC and as Tinman said, to get a better rod angle.

http://www.jason.fletcher.net/tech/sherman/sherman.htm

89gtsleeper

Yes this is a real trick, and could only be done with slight modification to the piston and a few other things... and yes it is only a ew hp difference, but in a stock class, every hp is an advantage over the next guy!!!

JD1969

I must be blind because I do not see a valve relief in that piston[&:]

Twister

it is an 86 piston, the one year of the H.O. that was a flat top piston, and why you have to either notch or swap out 86 pistons for a big cam or aftermarket heads

5speed GT

well I can say 100% putting the pistons in backward does nothing. Let me start by saying I am a Mercury Outboard Motor mechanic... and I have put together hundreds of outboard engines(v-6 mostly)anyway, Mercury has a different numbering system for the cylinders. So when I pulled my 5.0L apart... I numbered them as ford numbers them, so 2 months later, durring re-assymbly, without paying attention I put the pistons in as Mercury numbers them. I didnt realize it unil it hit me when I was putting it back in the car. I made a few calls and was told it wouldnt hurt anything. and I can say, with 4 of them in backward(on the wrong bank) there has been no difference at all

hayden

well im not sayin its true by any means anyways.... thats just what "he" said

tinman

Hey Guy's; remember that I was doing this in about 1979.....
I'd sure like to know what 'tricks' are being used nowadays for stocker to get 'just a little' more........
I've got some ideas/thoughts that I won't post about but it all comes down to real chicken sh-t machine work/balancing....
Remember, it's a good idea to know how to make a 'stocker' work before throwing down $$$$$ ONSTROKER KITS, HEADS, CAMS, and stuff...........