Piston talk...3500 style

[MidnightriderZ24]

sounds like alot more work and money for a stock cast piston dave. call up wiseco and get a set of custom forged so you can spray the shit out of it!! maybe a FEW hundred dollars more, you can have a dependable piston..

[Superdave]

It would be around $300 for a set of 3.6 pistons delivered.. then the machine work for valve clearance.

what's Wiseco charge for a set these days?

[MidnightriderZ24]

i was charged 123 a hole with rings/pins. quality too, get rid of the powdered rods since they already stretched on you!! then a bullet proof bottom end..

[95Grand-Am]

Did you chosse what pistons you were going to use?

[ForcedFirebird]

i was charged 123 a hole with rings/pins. quality too, get rid of the powdered rods since they already stretched on you!! then a bullet proof bottom end..

That's actually a good deal considering GM wants $98.63 for the pistons and $46.80 for one ring set for one piston for the 3500 set.

[ForcedFirebird]

It would be around $300 for a set of 3.6 pistons delivered.. then the machine work for valve clearance.

what's Wiseco charge for a set these days?

Where did you find them that cheap?

[bszopi]

3.6L info

Piston and pin : 12590866 ($37.49 @ GMPD) - 94mm bore (same as 3500)
Rod : 12566523 ($37.21 @ GMPD) - 5.9" (same as 3500)

[ForcedFirebird]

3.6L info

Piston and pin : 12590866 ($37.49 @ GMPD) - 94mm bore (same as 3500)
Rod : 12566523 ($37.21 @ GMPD) - 5.9" (same as 3500)

That's where I looked, but they don't include rings ($46.80/set for one piston).

[bszopi]

Maybe Dave wasn't including the rings in his costs...

[Superdave]

Rings for the 3.6 pistons are $17.95 per piston.

I believe i'm going to just go with the modified 3500 pistons, I'm fine with around 10:1 SCR and i really don't feel like dumping a few more grand into the engine.

[ForcedFirebird]

Rings for the 3.6 pistons are $17.95 per piston.

I believe i'm going to just go with the modified 3500 pistons, I'm fine with around 10:1 SCR and i really don't feel like dumping a few more grand into the engine.

Man, I didn't check the price on them, I was basing it off the 3500 pistons.

I wonder if there is a difference across the years for 3400/3.4 rings?

[ForcedFirebird]

Holy crap!!! $54/piston for 3400 rings!!!

[Younggun88]

So the 3.6 Rods would work too. 3.6 Rods and custom lower compression pistons plus Boost = Fun. what work would need to be done to the 3.6 rods to get them to work in a 3500.

[Superdave]

I just got back from the machine shop, they took a look at both my original pistons/rods and the extra set i bought.

The verdict: He reccomended that i just use the original pistons/rods with the thicker .060" gaskets. He also said that it appears that the stock rods are shotpeened from the factory, and the heat marks i had on some of them were actually from the heat/press fitting of the pins.

I bought a dial indicator this weekend so after i get the bottom end assembled tonight i'll post up some pics of the piston popup measured propperly.

[ForcedFirebird]

You bought a surface indicator? To measure deck height, you really need a surface mic. It kind of looks like a "T" with a mic handle at the top, I'll see if I can get a pic of it. A surface indicator will work, but it be a .0001" - not the .0005" readily available.

I used one to measure the deck height of the 3.4's and it came out to the exact number as the CR calculator (.0095")


I'll have to check out the 3500 rods I have to see if they have the same heat markings, and ask a second opinion on the shot-peening - that would be nice, eh?