Best choice for pistons

[jordanfr13]

I am in the process of building a 350 Chevy. Right now, it has stock 70's pistons, and I think I should invest in some aftermarket ones. I will be using vortec heads, stock head gasket thickness, and just an average dual plane aluminum intake. From what I've researched, my heads have about a 63cc chamber volume. I have no idea where to even start as far as which pistons I should be getting. I'm using the stock bore, as well as stock crank, rods, etc. I will be running a comp cams XE268 cam (.480 lift, 268/280 duration) Can anybody lead me in the right direction?

 

[megaladon6]

for street i like hypereutectics. they are cheap, don't expand much, are light, and work well. for something like racing or nitrous get forged aluminum.
D-dish pistons are very good for power and economy, they help mix the fuel and air better than flats.
stick with about 9.1-10.1:1 compression, and .035-.040 quench.

 

[jordanfr13]

Thanks for the response. I was thinking I'll get hypereutectics, and I'm looking for between 9:1 and 9.5:1. The main thing I need to know is how much + or - dish I need to get there

 

[SScamino]

Look at my youtube vids. go 10:1ish. The vortec heads can do that with about 89 octane, I even use 87 sometimes (hardley) It's like 1.50 fill up difference when you get gas so it's not that big of deal for me to run 93. But my car likes 89 pretty well and I have 9.9:1. I also have a xe268 and love it but there are better cams.

 

[SScamino]

http://www.youtube.com/user/81caminoss

 

[megaladon6]

http://www.kb-silvolite.com/calc.php

 

[jordanfr13]

Thanks guys. I've actually watched most of your videos in the past, and I like what I see and hear. I was using that compression ratio calculator, and it's making sense to me, except for deck clearance. Is that something that is advertised when buying pistons? Or does that have to do with my rods/crank etc

 

[SScamino]

Well there's lots of things that effect it down to the size of the bore of the cylinder in the head gasket, so I wouldn't go by the advertised comp ratio, it's usually wrong anyways just because you have 64cc heads doesn't grant you 10:1 without the right number crunching.

 

[anakputa]

TRW Forged Pistons. Only way to go. Hypereutectics they are cheap. Thats why the the factory uses them.

 

[bjohn07]

i like srp or je pistons. forged of course. flatops. but if cost in an issue trw or some kb are good